This "sequel" was requested by my friends Seika and Shion. The story was finished and well...they wanted a little extra, and this is it.
Enjoy.
Ari~
Ikki's presence in Sanctuary wasn't a secret for anyone, nor was it a surprise. When they were in Japan, everyone had seen he and Milo get along pretty well, hence, having him there, being part of the place was natural to all. It even was to Ikki and Milo who decided it wasn't that bad to 'be back together'.
What everyone also noticed was that Aioria and Milo weren't speaking much to each other lately. Their casual encounters had abruptly ended in uncomfortable silences and as time passed by, Milo had started to ignore the other. Many wondered what might have happened, yet no one dare ask. It was bizarre, though. Milo had never mentioned Mu again, not in private much less in public and now this distance with Aioria. Soon, his conversations with Camus started to take place again, which made everyone look at them suspiciously. Many months had already passed since their friendship changed. To many, seeing them laughing meant things were strange. To Camus and Milo, it was the rebirth of their relationship. Camus never told Milo about what he'd found at Mud's, and with that secret, he assured everything was right between them. Besides the Aries Saint himself wasn't a favourite topic of theirs, though Camus had to admit to himself sometimes that those few times when Milo'd listen to his venting over his relationship were very healing. Plus, Milo had never said anything ill about it.
In fact, Milo had changed a lot, Camus said once and Shura had smiled at the comment, while he finished peeling one of the oranges Aioros had given him earlier that day. When he saw Shura's gesture, Camus smiled back and didn't respond when Capricorn asked him how Milo had changed. It was bizarre, Camus thought, that Milo had got along with Ikki so well. Scorpio had even mentioned how they shared reading as a routinely activity; Milo had got lost in his thoughts a couple of times already, while he tried to explain to Camus why Ikki was staying in his temple and not in another one. Aquarius had stared at him intently, but he had also found himself without an answer for his doubts. And days continued passing like this. At the end, it was each on his own world and at peace.
Ikki felt at home. Scorpio had received him yet again and opened its doors with joy for him. He knew people talked. Most surely, Shiryu must've heard about his whereabouts by now. He shrugged that morning when he thought about it and it was already his third week on the place. His friendship had delved deeper and he felt fine with that as it was. Ikki had stopped thinking about what had happened in Japan. He and Milo had never mentioned the events that took place in the very temple where he was standing and to them, explanations weren't necessary.
The place around him was growing more familiar. The darkness in there, welcomed every day and he embraced it, though that day he was actually cleaning it. Phoenix laughed loudly. Not even Shun had ever managed to make him do chores. Milo had simply said, 'I'm going to train, clean up a bit'. There weren't any tones that would let him fathom orders, it was more a request, and since he'd seen it do it the previous day, he just did it. A familiar home-like feeling that made him do things.
Ikki was now finished and was leaving the seep and mop back in he kitchen, when he heard someone at the door. "Hello, Ikki." Aioria said from the door while he walked to the sitting room.
Ikki nodded uncomfortably at the other's presence. He wanted and meant to ask why Leo was there, however, he just motioned his head mechanically, "Aioria." He finally said and signalled the man to sit.
"Why?" Aioria asked and Ikki tilted his head to his side, wondering what the other wanted to say.
"Don't know what you're talking 'bout."
"Why coming here? Why Milo?"
"Why didn't you trust him?" Ikki rebuked, sounding annoyed.
"He told ya, huh?"
"We're friends; we don't lie to each other."
"Friends…" the fifth guardian allowed his voice to linger. Aioria took his fingers to his temple and walked around the place, "…right…" he murmured.
"Aioria, what are you doing here?" Ikki finally questioned him and faced him.
"There's a bond between you two I can't understand…" Aioria sighed and swirled on his heels and then he lifted his head to look Ikki in the eye. "What exactly happened between you two?"
"Nothing I hadn't told you already, Aioria." Milo responded as he entered in the place. Ikki on the other hand blushed and walked away. Guilty was never a sentiment he found appealing and he believed that wasn't a mattered he should neither discuss nor witness.
Aioria stared at Milo defying him. Scorpio didn't say anything, however, he moved around the house, leaving his stuff here and there and looked for some water to drink after having been training all morning. Milo did notice what Ikki had done with the house. He smiled. Soon, he was returning to the sitting room and faced Aioria, who didn't seem very keen of leaving, again. "What do you want?" Milo demanded and the other fell silent for a moment.
Silence was becoming more uncomfortable as time passed by. Aioria realized he had made a mistake by having come and talked to Ikki. Milo was being overprotective and wasn't—it seemed—willing to actually cooperate with him and tell him something else. The things between them had changed in the blink of an eye and he didn't like that. "Our friendship is very important to me, Milo."
"Then why are you here? We're friends, always been, why bothering Ikki with your conspiracy theories?" Milo responded and moved to sit while Aioria was still standing.
"Conspiracy theories?" Aioria demanded this time, frowning and feeling offended. "It was you who slept with him…"
"So?"
Milo ended his arguments with just that word and Aioria hated him for doing so. "Are you in love with him?" He asked with a hint of sadness in his voice, which reached Milo, but didn't move him.
"As far as I'm concerned, that's my business only." Milo reacted. It was true, he said to himself. Aioria wasn't the one to come to him and ask those things. Not even Mu was called to do so. People had walked away from his life and after a lot of thought over the weeks, he'd come to realising that he didn't really need to have any more complications in his life. Right now, his concern was Ikki who had locked himself in his room and who seemed affected by Aioria's visit. "I guess it's time for you to leave…my friend. May Athena bless you." He said, showing the exit to Leo who obeyed without saying one more word.
Milo walked to Ikki's room and knocked on the door. Ikki didn't answer and then, he opened the door and pushed it open. Ikki was there, packing his things and rushing over his stuff to make sure he wasn't forgetting anything.
"What'ya doing?" Milo said and again, he received no answer. "Ikki…what are you doing?" He repeated, this time carefully emphasizing every word he said.
"I'm leaving. Can't you see it?" Ikki responded unsettled. They hadn't been careful. Neither Milo, nor him. Their friendship had grown for weeks already; they had asked from the other and had received in the same way. How come the other people involved with them couldn't see that and felt so compelled to mess up with them, he wondered. Would've been better if they'd just lied? Or hadn't had done anything whatsoever?
"You don't have to leave, you know?" Milo told him in a soothing voice.
"I do…I…"
"You what, Ikki?" Scorpio spoke and changed his posture, crossing his arms across his chest and relying on the doorframe from where he continued looking at him despite not saying one single word. The situation was getting tiresome. One person misunderstood something another one said and they had just flipped and done the wrong thing. Been there, done that; Milo thought and moved towards the bed taking the bag from Ikki's hands.
"Milo!" Ikki said, anger fluctuating in his voice as Milo threw the bag away and forced him to look at him.
"Stop running, goddamit!" Milo yelled at him, startling him. Ikki reacted by turning away violently. "What?" Milo yelled again, "Can't do that for once?" he ended, almost whispering. It was exhausting trying to make someone do something they just can't do or that plainly don't want to.
Ikki couldn't respond to Milo at once. Scorpio was making him experience so many first times in such little time, that he felt overwhelmed. The past months in his life had been hectic, full of incredible emotions and stupid misunderstandings. He wanted to find the point of start believing that by doing so, he might find the end of it all. His life had never been an easy one. Protect his brother at all cost. Then Athena. Fight and give his life for them. Falling in love with Shiryu, even when it had been for the wrong reasons. Hidding whatever feelings he had deep within and not letting anyone come close to him, that's how it'd always been. Yet, Milo had one by one, broken down the walls he'd built around him. After all, and despite he being the mighty Phoenix, Ikki was still human. He cried and laughed like everyone else, and in the same way, he loved. "I…" the young one hesitated, then looked for the bed to sit, "I don't want to go…but this…it can't go on like this. I'm so tired of all this mess."
Milo nodded and tiredly sat next to him. He had lived his own mess. First Mu, the break up, Camus…Aioria. "I'm tired of all this, but I'm more tired of hiding and running away when I don't have to." He sentenced, making Ikki turn to look at him. "We've fought and have proven our honour and what we are capable and still…when it comes to love we're silly." Milo shugged while he talked and wasn't looking at Ikki anymore, but at his hands. They sighed at the same time, and giggled at it.
"We're fucked up, aren't we?" Ikki asked laughing and hitting Milo's shoulder slightly.
"We just need to get away from them, people like Shiryu and Aioria don't do us any good, Ikki."
Milo stood from the bed and walked to his room. The anger and pain he might have felt the days before evaporated from his system and he felt like he could start anew. He left, hoping that Ikki wouldn't leave, but also sure that he wasn't going to say anything about it. His friendship with Ikki was what he needed. Though they never said anything about what had happened and their joke when they said they were worth a second helping, Milo knew he had deep feelings for Ikki. Time had taught him at least, to respect the kind of man he was and to appreciate what the other offered and which he took at handfuls. He didn't really need much time to know what he wanted from Ikki, but he hadn't said anything about it. He wanted Ikki free as he had come into his life twice and now wanted him to stay for good.
Scorpio entered his room and left the door opened, certain that Ikki was going to leave at any time soon. That's always been the game, be in a place, run away when caught in an awkward situation and then come back again. That's what they'd done all those weeks when he couldn't explain to Camus why Ikki was with him.
Ikki saw him walk out of the room. He was looking for explanations for himself, for the turmoil of events showing themselves before his eyes as it they were a movie. There had never been arguments with Milo—well, not the kind that separate people. Just nice talks, many moments shared and most of all, feelings growing. He loved Milo. It wasn't anything like what he'd felt for Shiryu, and he was sure Milo would be going through the same thing. Their relationship had become stronger, their contact not intimate, but more comfortable when they share the couch and talked or read together. Ikki sighed. Milo was right. The kinds of relationships they'd had until that moment didn't do them any good. He finally stood and walked to Milo's room, finding the door open. "I don't want to go." He said from there, while Milo who was laying on his bed lifted his face to see him.
"I'd never asked you to leave, Ikki." Milo said, stretching his hand to the other. Ikki took it.
He placed on top of Milo and kissed him slowly. It was their time. The moment for their silence to speak for them while their bodies acted on their behalf. They didn't need anything. Their hearts had done it some time ago, bringing them closer.
When the morning arrived it was spring already. It was warm and the first one they shared as a couple—in love.
Strange thing, they mused. What an encounter they'd had.
