DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN SAINT SEIYA CHARACTERS. SAINT SEIYA IS UNDER THE AUTHORIZATION OF MASAMI KURUMADA

Chapter Six

Time went so slow after the four Goldies got coma. Two weeks had passed, but it had already felt like two hundred years. The scientists in Graud Foundation kept doing research to find medical treatment for Rhadamanthys' attack, and Aiolos kept forcing to help them.

Meanwhile, the other Goldies had done what Shaka had suggested. They talked to their unconscious fellows, greeted them, even told some jokes to them as if they were awake and healthy. But not all of the Goldies did such thing anyway. There's someone who never had any verbal interaction, even greeted, his fellows or his best friends. He was of course Aquarius Camus.

Since two weeks ago he didn't say any single word to Milo or the others. He indeed took care of Milo by changing his infusion, giving him medicine, and bathing him, but he never told any single word to him. He sometimes visited Kanon, Aiolia, and Mu too, but he only sat beside them without saying hello or such thing. He was totally different with his other fellows—they greeted and sometimes told stories when they visited Milo. Camus often saw Saga and Aiolos encouraged their brothers and told them how much they loved them in tears. Even Shaka did the same thing to Mu. He told Mu about the weather, the sunny day, and the other little things which he was sure would make Mu smiling if he awoke.

Camus didn't do such thing.

The next three weeks, when Camus changed Milo's infusion, Shaka came to the room. He smiled slightly at Camus, then greeted Milo as usual.

"Hi, Scorpion. Hope you are not dreaming about scorpion, however, I am sure it will make your health gets worse," said Shaka.

Milo of course didn't react. He kept sleeping and looked as peaceful as his unconscious fellows. Both of his hands held his chest. His face was serene, though a little bit pale. His blue hair and fringe were in the same style as usual, because Camus always took care of it.

"By the way, I want to talk to you," said Shaka to Camus after Camus had finished with the infusion. Camus sat next to Milo's bed then.

"About?"

"About Milo's condition," answered Shaka as he sat near Camus. "You see…it is only him who does not show good progress. Meanwhile, Aiolia, Mu, and Kanon's conditions have increased drastically since weeks ago. The scientists said it is beyond medical capability: they have really strong will to live that they pass the days with optimism and it affects their health in significant way. Now only a step further for them to reach the first stage of coma."

"First stage?"

"Yes. The scientist almost finished working for the medicine to cure our dear friends; it will be ready two weeks later, but—"

"Really?"

"Yes. Aiolos gave them a lot of helps—he painstakingly explains every single thing about Rhadamanthys' attack. Since Kanon defeated him with Galaxian Explosion, and Rhadamanthys himself used Greatest Caution to defeat Kanon, Aiolos concluded that those attacks are alike because they left similar traces. Well, they are parallelism with Aurora Execution and Aurora Borealis, you know. That is why, the medicine for Greatest Caution is somewhat similar with that for Galaxian Explosion, but it needs extra formula for the Greatest Caution is far more powerful. The scientists are almost done, but they will give the medicine only if our friends have reached the first stage of coma. They are now still in the second stage. In the case of Milo, he is still in the third stage. He has not shown meaningful progress as his friends since he entered this hospital."

Camus looked at Milo, then stared at the floor.

"Camus," Shaka leant his body forward. "If he kept staying in this condition, it is not impossible for him to turn to the next stages. If he has been in the fourth or fifth stages, there will be no hope. His heart will still beat, but all his brain activities will stop. He will die."

Camus still looked at the floor. He knew what Shaka was going to say.

"Camus," said Shaka after several minutes. "You know why Aiolia, Mu, and Shaka show progress and Milo does not, don't you?"

"Shaka…"

"I tell you, comatose people cannot determine the meaning of their conditions. It is his friends or their families who have duty to tell them whether they want them to live or die. Talk to him, Camus," said Shaka finally. "He does not have any will to live because you never tell him how much he means to you."

"I can't," said Camus as he covered his face with his hands. "I want to do that, but I can't."

"Yes, you can. Camus," Shaka grabbed Camus' hands and looked at him straight in his eyes. Camus looked very tired.

"You do not want him to die, do you?"

"Of course I don't!"

"Then tell him."

"I can't…Shaka, you know who I am…"

"Yes, I know who you are," said Shaka firmly. "You will never let your beloved people get suffered just because of your sake. Fine…maybe you cannot tell him that you care about him in direct way, but at least let him know that you will always be by his side."

Shaka stood, gazed at Camus for several times, then turned around and exited from Milo's room.

Camus looked at Milo, then began to do what Shaka had asked. He tried and tried and tried to speak, but no words came out. He even couldn't just greet him. What kind of person was him anyway…?

Why was it so difficult…? Milo was the one who had been by his side for very long time…the one who always greeted him with laughter…the one who cried on his lap when he was paralyzed. Aphrodite was right: Milo's eyes were almost dry because he always lamented his paralyze. It was so different with Camus: since Milo had entered this horrible place, Camus hadn't even shed a tear. It had two meanings anyway: he was extremely sad that he couldn't cry, or he had no tears to be shed anymore. The tears had turned to glacier, like himself.

Camus tried to close his eyes, but the thoughts never left him.

Milo was the first best friend he'd ever had…he was the only person who could look through his eyes. He was the only person who could feel the agony he'd buried for long time. He always cheered him…sometimes made fun on him, but Camus never objected. Everytime he was about to angry, the anger always evaporated when he looked at Milo's blue eyes…the eyes that were full of life, the startling blue eyes which always encouraged him and supported him. And the more Camus thought about that, the more he realized that it was always Milo who took the first step to get closer to him or to help him. He was the first who asked to be his friend, the first who greeted, the first who offered hand, the first who told encouraging words, the first to cry, the first to laugh, the first who told stories, the first to teach, the first…always be the first.

And now that Camus had to be the first to greet and to begin the conversation, he felt so weird. He couldn't be the first who began…or could he? Was it just he was too selfish? Or maybe was it too difficult for him to take his best friend's place…?

Camus opened his eyes, gazed at Milo again. Shaka's words still disturbed his mind so bad…Milo was still in the third stage of coma, and he would die if he fell to the fourth and fifth stage.

He would die.

Camus took a deep breath, then grasped Milo's hand. The thought that Milo was about to die stimulated him deeply. He had to do this, or else he would never have any chance to.

"Hey," he greeted. It needed very huge effort for him to say that.

Milo didn't react. He slept serenely as before.

"Hmm…," murmured Camus. He felt hesitated; what else should he say then…?

Then his eyes caught the window. Snow began to fall gently outside. Right…today was the beginning of winter in Japan, how could he forget that?

"It's snowing outside," Camus said after several minutes. He was silent again then. Great…Aiolos and Saga could tell a very long story in 15 minutes. It'd been 15 minutes and Camus only could say "hey", "hmm", and "it's snowing outside". Should he ask for Shaka's help? At least maybe Shaka could give any idea about what he had to say.

Yes, maybe he had to ask Shaka to help him. He stood, then got out from Milo's room. Five minutes later he came back with Shaka next to him.

"Ok," said Camus as he sat and grasped Milo's hand again. "Tell me what I should say."

"Tell him about the condition of your legs," suggested Shaka.

Camus nodded. Yeah, his legs…how could he forget that…?

"My legs are alright," said Camus to Milo. "I'm not walking with crutches again."

Then he turned silent. Shaka wondered why Camus couldn't make that topic to sound more interesting. Suddenly he thought that there wouldn't be any comedy shows if all presenters were like Camus.

"Tell him about the situation in Kido's mansion yesterday," said Shaka then.

Camus took a deep breath, then began to talk again. "Well…Milo…yesterday the Bronzies were busy again with their playstation, and Shura threatened to burn the playstation. He…talked about non-sensitive boys who didn't sympathize their collapsed seniors. Seiya then protested and told him that he played playstation to cure his sadness. Hearing that, Shura changed his mind: he joined the Bronzies played playstation for seven hours then…"

"Aaarrrgh, Camus!" yelled Shaka in frustration. "You speak like a robot! That event was funny, but you speak like it was plain and not interesting!"

Camus shook his head and covered his face with his hands again. "I've told you I can't do this…"

Shaka sighed, began to feel exhausted. The situation would be different if it was Camus who was coma and it was Milo who was obligated to cheer him. But right now it seemed like the world had been upside down. Asking Camus to tell encouraging words was almost the same as asking the moon to shine at noon.

"Alright, let us try this," said Shaka in depressed tone. "You stroke his hair as you usually do to Hyoga."

Camus looked at Shaka, completely puzzled. "What for?"

"Just do that."

Camus sighed, then did what Shaka asked him to. He touched Milo's long blue hair, then stroked it.

Suddenly he felt something in his heart. He felt…warm....

As he stroked Milo's hair more gently, he felt that the warmth began to run through his veins…

Shaka examined Camus' expression painstakingly. He saw that the cold mask began to melt.

"Now…," said Shaka in a soft voice. "Tell him something that lies in your mind. Anything."

Camus gazed on his best friend's face. His best friend, the one who'd never bored to encourage and support him…. His best friend, also his brother, his father. He glanced at the falling snow for seconds, then gazed at Milo again.

"Snowballs," he said.

Shaka didn't interrupt.

"You don't really like snow…but you always ask me to get out when the snow is falling…," said Camus to Milo. "You begin to throw snowballs to me. I don't give any reaction at first…but then I begin to collect the snow in a sledge and shower you with large amount of it," said Camus. He kept stroking Milo's hair and gazing on his friend's serene feature. Then silence for very long time.

"And you will laugh," said Camus finally. "You laugh and throw more snowballs. I still don't get why you don't like snow, Milo. You seem able to get along very well with it."

Silence again…then…

"You know…now's winter. I really hope that you'll awake soon…so that we can go outside as usual…"

Before Camus realized, his eyes got heated, and soon hot tears streamed down his cheeks…

The Aquarius was crying. Finally after five weeks, he'd been able to shed tears…he even didn't mind when Shaka watched him silently. He'd fought the tears for so long. Now that he could lament his friend, he wouldn't stop it even if it was only for a while.

Silence covered the room again. Camus never turned his eyes away from his best friend. He kept looking at him with rare warmth in his deep blue eyes…

…and he was so startled when he saw tears were falling from the corner of Milo's eyes. Milo was crying too…but his eyes were still closed.

Camus grasped Milo's hand tighter. His lips was shaking a bit and his voice broke when he said, "…I want to say that…I feel so lucky to have you as my best friend…you've been a family which I'd never had…that's why…you have to wake up soon. Because I don't want to see you like this. You have to wake up soon…Milo…"

And he began to sob. He didn't manage to say anything again. All he needed now was only crying for his best friend's sake, and that would be enough for him…

Shaka smiled looking at the heartwarming view. He gazed at Camus and Milo for some times, then looking outside.

The snow still fell gently. The golden-haired man was happy that the snowflakes were scattered on the carpet-like grass…and he felt relieved that the glacier in Milo's room had gradually melted.

To be Continued