Disclaimer: I don't own Saint Seiya characters!

Októ̱ epeisódio:

The True Friend

Milo was running loudly through the Temple of Pisces as fast as he was able. He couldn't believe, when he felt that the first time in his warm bed, after he just woke up. That cosmo he didn't feel for so many weeks. That cold cosmo he missed so much all the time. And now that cosmo was inside the Pope Temple. And he had to get there quickly. To see him.

The Scorpio didn't even realize that Aphrodite was greeting him cheerfully from the niche of the hall, but now something much more important was filling his blue-haired head. Oh, he knew, that later he had to suffer for that; after all, the vainglorious Saint of the twelfth Temple never forgave ignoring his own so important person. For the name of Athena, that stupid exquisite couldn't bear even comments about someone else's beauty!

But as it was said, Milo didn't care; later Aphrodite could do anything to him, now he had to see someone who was inside the Pope Chamber.

Aquarius Camus was in the Sanctuary again.

The blue-haired man stopped in the front of the Pope Chamber, breathing hardly because of the happy and trying to not break down the door getting inside uninvited. That could be very dangerous for him, this kind of action was considering as a mortal sin. But he was so impatient! His friend, his Camus was behind that stupid, wooden door, talking with the Pope, and he, Milo wanted to see him already, see and say "Sorry". How long he had to wait for it!?

"Milo?" he hard the voice coming from the shadow.

The Scorpio turned around and saw Mu, standing near him, with his usual friendly smile on his face.

"Mu? What are you doing here?"

"I'm waiting to see the Pope. As you can feel, now he is talking with Camus. I suppose you are here to see your friend instead of our Pope," said the Aries with the friendly chuckle.

"I didn't even know that he is back. I just felt his cosmo right after I woke up a few minutes ago."

"He returned early in the morning. It is really good to see him after the whole time. I still don't know where he was. I hope he will tell us about it."

Then the door opened and Milo saw his best friend, Camus.

He didn't change at all, his hair had the same color, his eyes were as dark as a few weeks ago, and even his cold presence seemed to be the same. He was walking with the grace of the Gold Saint; his aquamarine hair was waving around him with every step, his Gold Cloth was shining like always, and his face was as calm as from the beginning of their friendship.

"Camus, my dear friend!" Milo almost yelled with happiness. "You are back already!"

He prepared himself for jumping to him, and giving him the tightest hug he was able to do. Mu could see the whole warmth inside the blue eyes of Milo and his happiness emitting from his muscular body.

But then Camus looked at Milo with the cold eyes. Even Mu felt the chills that passed through his body. The Scorpio stopped, uncertain what he should to do under that cold glare of his best friend.

The Aquarius Camus passed them without saying anything, with his face turned into the cold mask.

"Camus?" Milo whispered with a hesitation. "Camus! What are…?"

"We have nothing to talk about, Milo of the Scorpio Constellation," said quietly Camus, leaving the two Saints in the hallway, not even looking at them.

Milo was standing, completely frozen. He never expected that Camus would treat him that coldly. He was sure, that this stupid quarrel had gone into oblivion long time ago, and now, when Camus was back, everything would turn like it used to be.

"Camus…?"

The Aquarius Camus was standing inside his library, looking at many books on the bookstands around him. His thoughts was very stormy, he couldn't calm down after meeting with Milo. He treated him incredible coldly, like there were enemies instead of friends. Oh, that surprised and hurt expression of the Scorpio caused him so much pain. But it had to be like that, right? Soon Milo would forget that they were friends, and he will be free form bond with cold, emotionless Saint of the Aquarius.

"Why?"

Camus gasped with the surprise, turning around. It was Mu, standing in front of him, with worried face.

"Oh, Mu, you scared me a little bit."

"Sorry, I didn't intend to do that. But Camus, tell me why?"

"What 'why'?" Of course Camus knew what about Mu was talking, but he didn't want to talk with the Aries about that.

"Why you treated him so harsh, Camus? I thought you were the best friends."

Camus turned his eyes from Mu's glare. He couldn't bear that green eyes, now looking at him accusingly.

"Camus, look at me!" The voice of the Aries was rough. Camus never expected that this calm, friendly Saint could speak like that. The Aquarius obeyed, blushing with the shame. "Don't you think that it is the right moment for you to forgive him his stupid words? He regrets what he said to you."

Camus blinked under that green glare of lavender-haired Saint. He didn't hear anything that he didn't expected.

"I can't understand your action, Camus. He misses you so much. You don't even have idea how hard it was to him to live after your death. Sometimes I though he wanted to kill himself. And now, when he just regained his friend, you are treating him like he means nothing for you."

Camus turned his eyes one more time; he didn't want Mu to see the tears that filled his dark blue eyes.

"Mu, that is not the case."

"Then what it is? Answer me."

"Milo don't need friend like me. I'm too cold and too emotionless for being friend for anyone. I'm just hurting him with my lack of emotions. That's all. I just disappeared from his word, so he could gain the true friends."

"True friends? But Camus…"

"Stop, Mu. It is the best way. I want him to be happy with reliable friends. That is all. Good bye."

Camus passed him, and left his Temple. Soon he was in the way to his new destination.

When Camus woke up at the bright morning he thought, that he was sleeping inside his Temple in the Sanctuary, and that warmth on his right side was coming from Milo, who surely felt asleep at his bed again. It had to pass a few moments, before he realized, that he is far away from the Holy Land, and beside him wasn't laying his friend Milo, but Claire, the girl he met yesterday.

It took a few minutes for him to remember what happened day ago, and why he was in this place. He had his first hangover ever, and the memories were coming so slowly and really hard. France, the sun, library and his favorite, red wine. Oh right, he accidentally knocked the book out of her hand in the library. He apologized, and then their talk started. She was so intelligent, talkative a little bit but also funny. And her eyes… Her eyes were so blue, just like Milo's eyes.

She liked to talk a lot, like Milo, she was also so smart. She could tell about the whole France's history, about laws of physics, about political views, explaining her view about the word. And of course, books. It was the main topic of their talk. Camus read many books in his life, but it seemed that this girl was far, far away from him, with her tons of literature she read.

They spend a lot of time together, walking around the streets, and talking, exchanging views about the world. For the Aquarius it was like he back in the time to the days, when he was in Siberia, training under the care of his master. Back then he had so many interesting talks with his master, talks about the word, about politics, about nature, science and meaning of becoming the Gold Saint of Athena. He remembered very well all these evening filled with many interesting, and new things about everything. He was missing it, after return to the Sanctuary he never had something informative and relaxing. Any of his fellows had the intelligence and knowledge to fill his evening with the talk.

But now he could talk with her, with Claire, the girl he met just a few hours ago in the library. He was amazed, how much they match together, with her talkative nature and his taciturnity. It was her, who said the most words while the afternoon, but it seemed that it wasn't the problem for her.

It was early evening when their found that it would be nice to talk longer, and spend more time together. They weren't tired of walking, but it got really cool, so she invited him to her house for the cup of the tea. The Saint agreed to the proposal, even if the cold didn't bother him at all. But soon it would get dark, and then they would have to say goodbye, and that it was something that Camus didn't want to do. He didn't want to return to his hotel room, where only silence was waiting for him.

It seemed that Claire was thinking the same way; after all she was living alone, and the silence was waiting for her as well. So they left the empty streets of the city and went to her house. In their way they bought a few things, and Camus helped her to prepare dinner. She was really stubborn with preparing that; if someone was coming to her house, then he shouldn't be hungry.

Then, they started to talk about more common things. He was listening about her life in France, about her studies, and past as an orphan. She spent a few minutes on talking about her hobbies, and of course she forced him to tell about his interest. Camus didn't mind it; after all what is the point of hiding the things he liked. Of course, he couldn't say anything about his life in the Sanctuary, Claire wouldn't believe him. But he said a little about Siberia, lying that he was living with his uncle, after the death of his parents.

And half of the night passed with dinner, talk, and the bottle of his favorite wine she brought from the city. He could feel nice heat inside his body with every sip of the red liquid, starting to think, that Claire is really nice person. In the Sanctuary he rarely talked with female Saints, besides he wasn't interested in women with so rough personalities. But Claire was different. He could say that if he wasn't the Saint of Athena, he could spend his whole life with person like her.

And that's how he found himself in her bed. He wasn't even surprised, that their meeting ended like that. After all, what is wrong with it? Sometimes he could spend nice time with someone. He liked her, she liked him so that's how it should be, right?

But it was yesterday, when his head was still affected by the red wine. When he woke up beside her naked body he wasn't so sure, if he did the right thing. Making love wasn't simple thing, like the ordinary talk. It was much more personal, binding the both people. They shouldn't give their body for someone, they just met, right?

He looked at her with thoughtful eyes. Her blonde hair was covering her shoulders; her head was resting against his chest. She was really pretty while sleeping; he could say that she is beautiful. The night with her was really pleasurable, he was contented and she was contented. So is there something to regret?

He stroked her hair gently with sight of doubt. For now he should leave it the way it was right now.

Few minutes later she moved lightly, and opened her big blue eyes. Camus had the impression that he was again looking inside the bright, blue eyes of his friend Milo. He had to blink a few times to get rid of that feeling.

Meanwhile, Claire smiled to him, raised her head, and kissed him passionately.

"Good morning, darling," she said.

Darling? Did something happen that he couldn't remember right now? Oh, did he offer her marriage or something?

Camus shook his head and returned the kiss.

"May I ask something?" he heard when she rested her head against his chest again.

"Sure."

"Who is she?"

"She? What 'she'?"

Claire looked inside his dark eyes with curious.

"This Milo. You were talking about her after you felt asleep."

Camus blinked with surprise. He was talking about Milo while sleeping? Then he laughed.

"Huh? What's so funny?" murmured Claire.

"He is my friend," Camus answered, holding his laugh.

"…he..?"

Claire laughed as well.

"Then your friend has to be very important to you, if you are talking about him while sleeping."

Camus' dark eyes saddened. He nodded, looking at the ceiling. But Claire was really smart, she didn't ask anything more, seeing his reaction. She jumped out of the bed with yawn.

"I have to go to the university for a while. You can stay here, if you want," she said with smile. "You can stay here as long as you want."

"Huh? You are not afraid, that I'm just burglar, who wants to steal something, where you are out?" asked Camus with surprise.

"I'm really naive girl," she laughed, and threw something to him. The keys. "You can use them if you want to go for a walk."

Camus understood it. 'Go to the hotel for your luggage, and stay with me,' that's was she was trying to say. The Aquarius stood up from the bed as well, caught instantly and kissed by her.

"Of course. Go prepare for your study; I will be here, when you return."

Heh, right, why he should be elsewhere? He liked Claire, and her house, they can talk again after her returning, and he really didn't want to spend his 'holidays' it that lonely, empty and small hotel.

And it was like that day by day. She was going to her university, and he was staying in her home, preparing dinner for them, reading books, and taking some walks around the city. And when she was back, they were talking a lot, about her day, about her friends, and about many things, that two people could talk together. And she was taking him to the places he missed while his lonely walks, showing him the old buildings with the long history, the monuments of famous people and at the same time telling him about history of the city. They were walking till the night, spending the whole time together. And after their returning to her house, they were making love again.

Day after day. But for Camus there was something missing in that small paradise. Passion and involvement from his side. Something was just wrong for him.

"Why don't you just stay here," asked Claire after almost three weeks, lying comfortable in his arms. "You said that you can live everywhere you want, that maybe you can stay here."

Camus looked at her thoughtfully.

"It isn't that simple," he said. Or it should be 'he lied'. Staying in that city was really simple; he could get the permission from the Pope without any difficulties.

"Why? You said that you are some kind of traveler, and your home is everywhere. Then why? Why you can't make your home here?"

Right, why? It was really simple to stay with her. Maybe not forever, after all he was the Saint of Athena and some day he would have to leave her alone, but for now? It was matter of a few hours to get back to the Sanctuary, ask for permission and start to live with Claire, far away from the other Saints, far away from the Holy Land… And far away from Milo…

"I have many obligations…" he murmured into her blonde hair.

She chuckled doubtfully.

"That's not the real case, right? It is something linked with your friend, Milo."

She couldn't hide it; inside her voice Camus heard jealousy.

"Why do you think that?" asked the aquamarine-haired man, cursing her intelligence.

"You are talking about him at night. Every night."

Camus didn't answer. It was true, he was dreaming about his friend, Milo, but he had no idea, that he was talking while his sleep.

"You love him, right?" asked Claire, playing with his hair.

"Huh? Him?"

For a while Camus didn't understand.

"Him. Your friend, Milo. You love him."

"Of course I do! He is my friend after all!"

Pain caught his heart. His friend, Milo… Left in the Sanctuary, alone. Probably the Scorpio wasn't even aware, why Camus just left him. Oh, it had to be really hard for him to be treated like that by his best friend, and now Camus wasn't sure the rightness of his decisions…

Claire sighed with the resignation, but she didn't say anything more. Camus tightened his hug around her, kissing her forehead.

"Sleep. Tomorrow you have the exam, you should be rested."

Camus closed his eyes, but he knew that tonight the dream wouldn't come to him. He was lying in the dark night, thinking about Milo, Claire, Sanctuary, and his duty as a Saint.

He was sure, that Claire felt asleep long time ago, but after half hour he heard her quiet whisper, like she was thinking that he was sleeping:

"I hope you will stay here after all, Camus. I think I love you."

Camus tried to not show that he heard these words. He just thought that it turned into the worst possible way. He had a friend in Greece, that surely was missing him now, and he had Claire, the girl, which loved him. And here was him, cold, emotionless man, who couldn't return all these feelings of these two people.

When Claire returned to her house next day, tired after the exam only silence was waiting for her. Camus' clothes disappeared; there weren't any sights of the man living here for three weeks. And she found the keys she gave him. They were lying in that place, where they used to lie: in the secret place above the door's frame.