Work Text:
Metaphors
"Everything in this world is comparable— that's what Mu said, and so Milo says to his friend can you make a metaphor for all of us?"
Disclaimer
The characters in this story belong to Masami Kurumada, Toei, and Bandai.
"Listen, in this world, there is no one who can live alone by themselves — every creature needs someone to continue their life, all humans, animals and even plants need each other to create a continual life in this world— whether it's to protect each other or to destroy the life of the others. This is a fact of life since the beginning of time and it will continue till the end of time." Said the lilac-haired Lemurian continuing the philosophical conversation with his friends— Scorpio Milo and Leo Aioria.
The lilac-haired Lemurian then continued his words again, "This proves that all of the creatures in the world are just the same and we are comparable to each other— because, in essence, we are just the same, we all make sacrifices to keep our lives, we all want to love and to be loved, we all feel sadness and happiness, and we are all suffering in this life." The other two saints were just nodded at the words of the Lemurian.
"So, Mu... do you think that we can be compared with all the things in the world?" Asked the Scorpio Saint, as what his friend had just said fascinated him so much because a thought just popped out in his mind.
"Isn't that what Mu had just said? Are you slow or you are just a stupid person? That's exactly what Mu said you idiot!" said the Leo Saint while also mocking the Scorpio Saint who is beside him making Milo angry and annoyed with words that come out of the Lion's mouth, "Hey! I'm just making sure! And you said that as if you also understand what Mu had just said! I know that you don't understand it either, you little kitty!"
"What—Little kitty!? You said what to me!?" exclaimed Aioria furiously, his brows furrowed and he clenched his teeth trying to resist the urge to hit the Scorpio Saint, "And oh, just for your information I understand perfectly what Mu had just said, I understand everything perfectly! And of course, my brain is big enough to understand it perfectly— not like your tiny brain who couldn't even process those simple words," mocked the Leo Saint. Aioria really hated it when someone calls him 'little kitty', he always goes into enraged mode every time he hears someone call him with that nickname.
"But, you are a little kitty— and stop mocking me, will you? This is a serious discussion you know, stop being so childish! You started this kitty!" Said the Scorpio Saint again, just adding the annoyance of the Lion— although in this case, we must agree that it was Aioria who started all of this.
"What!? You dared to say that to me you poisonous bug!? I am older than you— remember that!" exclaimed the Lion again while now getting up from his seat to hit the Scorpio Saint, but Milo immediately resisted the attack of the Leo Saint, "Only for three months! Stop making a big deal of it! — and also, you act like a child Aioria... you're just a kid because of how you act, just admit it you little cat!" exclaimed Milo while also trying to resist Aioria's attack, but at the same time also giving attacks to the Lion, and apparently the Scorpio Saint has no self-awareness at all.
And the lilac-haired Aries can only sigh and shakes his head, every time the Leo Saint and the Scorpio Saint are together, they always have these little quarrels. Ever since Mu can remember, these two have always been like this since the first time they came to the Sanctuary— every day since that day, there is not one day when Aioria and Milo didn't have these petty quarrels. Even if Mu didn't always stay in the Sanctuary as he stayed in Jamir after the murder of his teacher— there is Aldebaran who has always been the witness to these things and he told Mu all about it.
"Aioria, Milo, Stop it already!" said Mu in an authoritative voice similar to the one his teacher's when he is in angry mode, "But—Mu... Aioria started it, you see it yourself, right?" whines Milo trying to make Mu less angry— because let's face it, the Lemurian can be quite terrifying when he is angry— even once, Mu was so angry that no one, not even the Patriarch can approach him without being blasted with a death glare.
"Hey! You are going to put all the blame on me, Milo!?" exclaimed the Leo Saint again, but Mu immediately interject, "Enough! Aioria, Milo! Let's not fight with each other, and let's continue our talk. You guys said to me that this will be a peaceful and pleasant conversation— without any petty quarrels like this. So, stop and let us continue,"
Aioria and Milo sigh resignedly, they couldn't deny that they did promise Mu about that, and they visited Mu because they were bored that their special someone are on a long-term mission— and they also knew that Mu's special someone has also gone to a mission to India making the lilac-haired Aries also have a free time to spend with them because usually, it's hard to find the Aries Saint alone without the company of the Virgo Saint.
"Ah, okay... we are sorry, Mu! Now, let's continue with our discussion," said the Scorpio Saint after remembering the thought that popped in his mind earlier before the Leo Saint's antics made him forget about it for a little while. "As you said earlier Mu... that everything in this world is comparable, so Mu— Can you make a metaphor for all of us?" asked the Scorpio Saint.
Mu raised one of his tikas in confusion, he then questions the Scorpio Saint about his request, "What do you mean, Milo? A metaphor for all of us?" and Milo nodded excitedly, "Oh, you know Mu that everyone of us in the Sanctuary has their own partner right now— and I asked you to give them a metaphor about their relationships."
After the Holy War ended, every fallen saint was revived by Athena, making these last two years a time of peace for the Saints— especially the Gold Saints. And after a lot of war and conflicts that happened in their life, they finally have the chance to formalise their hidden feelings towards each other— a lot of them were old feelings that are buried deep in their hearts, but some also a new feelings that grew after spending so much together.
"Hmmm, this sounds interesting, I am surprised that something interesting will come out of your mouth, Milo" chirps the Leo Saint that is replied by Milo with a death glare, he feels the urge to hit Aioria right now, but he got an idea to make Aioria and Shura as the first couple, "Ah, let's start with you then— so, Mu... what do you think about Shura and Aioria? Can you make a comparison with something?"
"Hey! But why I am the first? Couldn't you just make yourself as the first?" exclaimed the Leo Saint, and Milo only rolled his eyes, "Oh, shut up, Aioria! Don't you want to know what Mu thinks about this?" and Aioria only snort in annoyance.
Mu sighs when he sees the antics of his comrade-in-arms, it seems that they will never stop to have these petty quarrels until the end of the universe, but Mu then started to think about what comparison that will fit the relationship between Shura and Aioria, "I think the metaphor for Shura and Aioria, they are a blank canvas and paints," said the lilac-haired Lemurian.
"But why it doesn't sound good? Why a blank canvas and paints?— hey, Mu couldn't you give me a better metaphor?" said Aioria a little upset with the metaphor that his Aries friend gave him, he doesn't like the way it is because the paints have a pungent smell— and he doesn't want to be compared with paints because of that. "Yes, Mu... you should give them a better metaphor like a trash and a madman for example!" mocked the Scorpio Saint which resulted in a strong blow on his head.
"It has to make sense, Milo! A trash and a madman they are not connected at all— they don't even make sense!" exclaimed Aioria, and Milo replied, "Oh, they are connected all right— so you are like a trash and Shura is like a madman. When the madman tried to search for leftovers in the trash— he became sick because there's a lot of bacteria in the trash."
The Leo Saint then hit his annoying friend again because he keeps spitting nonsense about his relationship with the Capricorn Saint, while the Aries Saint gently reprimanded them with his emerald eyes, "Aioria, Milo— you promised me that you're not going to do that again— and Aioria... let me explain it first," said the lilac-haired man.
"You are like paints— coloured paints to be exact, and Shura is like a blank canvas— The metaphor here is about emotions. Shura is someone who doesn't have a lot of emotions, he is pragmatic and stoic, and without the emotions, he will only feel emptiness because his life is going to be colourless and flat— exactly like a blank canvas," explained Mu and the other two saints only nodded, "And then Mu? What about me?" said the Leo Saint impatiently.
The Lemurian smiles a little seeing his friend's eagerness, he then continued, "And as I said you are paints, Aioria— you are all the colours— you bring all the colours to Shura's life with your outburst of emotions, and with all of that colours, the paints will create a beautiful painting when he meets a blank canvas. A painting that is full of emotions, conveying a lot of stories to the people who see the painting."
Aioria nodded and his cheeks were blushing a little, "Thank you, Mu... that is a good metaphor," said the Leo Saint, he must admit that Shura is someone who is very serious and flat, and he is the exact opposite, he is someone who often carried away by his emotions, but in some way, they created a harmony in their lives— exactly like a blank canvas and paints.
"You don't need to thank me for that, I just said what I see in you two," said the lilac-haired Lemurian, because that's what he sees in Aioria and Shura— they completed each other with their own nature. "That's actually a good one, Mu... now, what about Aioros and Saga? Can you give us a metaphor about them?" asked Milo to his friend again.
Mu thinks for a while, "Hmmm, Aioros and Saga... they are a glue and a broken vase," said the Lemurian, drawing the attention of the other two saints. "Aioros is a glue— someone who is very insistence, as we can see in his relationship with Saga, he insists to repair his past relationship with Saga. And also, with his kind and forgiving personality, he heals the wounds in the hearts of others— just like a glue that repairs broken things."
Mu stopped for while thinking about the relationship of the two oldest in the Gold Saints order, he smiled as he remembers, that since his childhood he can always see the special affection of Aioros to the indigo-haired Gemini, the Aries then continued his words, "Aioros, he repairs Saga himself— after what happened in the past, Saga is a broken vase— someone who is shattered and broken inside— someone who is haunted by the ghost of the past, he is full of guilt and remorse, because of that he is afraid to continue his life, and even if everyone has forgiven him he is still reluctant to leave the past— and there is Aioros for him, someone who will repair him, someone that brings Saga out of the darkness— just like a glue that will repair a broken vase piece by piece until it is one again, of course, there will still be broken marks on the vase, but it is the remnants of the tragic story that they have gone through in their lives."
The other two saints fell into silence as the lilac-haired Lemurian stopped his words, indeed they knew the hardships that the Sagittarius Saint and the Gemini Saint, their love story was stopped by an inevitable fate leaving their story in a tragic way— where one was murdered by the order his loved one, but alas, it was in the past. Now, they try to live their love again in the new opportunity that was given by the Goddess Athena.
"And what about Aphrodite and Deathmask? How do you see them, Mu?" asked the Leo Saint, and Milo who is beside him also nodded and then he added, "And Aldebaran with Kanon, too... we cannot miss them in this." Mu nodded at his friends' words and then he says, "For Aphrodite and Deathmask, they are ivy plants and an abandoned house—"
"Well, that doesn't sound great— and I thought Aphrodite will be a rose," chirp Milo interjecting the Aries Saint. But, Mu shakes his head and then proceeds to explain what he had just said, "I said that Aphrodite is an ivy plant that grew in an abandoned house because Deathmask is just an abandoned house— dark, deserted and broken— but with Ivy plants, they grew on the walls of the house adding a natural and unique beauty to the abandoned house— just like how Aphrodite added charms in Deathmask."
The lilac-haired Lemurian continues again to give his comrade-in-arms a metaphor of their relationships, "For Aldebaran and Kanon, they are fried chicken and waffles," He giggled a little and then continued his words, "Kanon is fried chicken and Aldebaran is waffles— they are such an unusual combination, one that people might not expect. But, they get along together creating a new harmony, the crispiness of the fried chicken combined with the fluffiness of the waffles— exactly like Kanon's strong personality with Aldebaran's amiability."
"Well, you are right, Mu! They're just so unexpected as a couple, but they clicked each other so well," said Aioria followed by a burst of small laughter, "Yeah, I'm quite surprised too that Alde when he confessed to Kanon— like what? I didn't know they get along so well!" added the Scorpio Saint while also drowning in laughter.
"By the way, Mu, what about the Patriarch and the Old Master— how would you see them?" asked Milo and Mu nodded and then answers, "Ah, for my teacher and the Old Master— they are rocks and waves because those things will always exist in this world until the end of the time— both are timeless, and they never change always stayed in the same place— just like the love of my teacher and the Old Master that remained the same even after two hundred years."
"You are already given a lot of metaphors for other people, Mu and what about yourself?" asked the Leo Saint, and Mu is startled as he didn't expect that they would also be asked about him and the Virgo Saint. And to be honest, Mu doesn't know how to put his relationship with Shaka.
"Ah, that I—" stuttered Mu, but he was cut by the Scorpio Saint, "Oh, come on Mu! Give us one for your relationship with Shaka, we want to know how you managed to form something with that blond!" Mu sighs resignedly, he knew that some of his comrade-in-arms wondered why he and Shaka had successfully formed a relationship, they simply didn't understand how the lilac-haired Aries can manage to be around the 'mighty' Shaka as Shaka is so secluded and he doesn't even talk with the other saints sometimes— that's why when they knew that the Virgo Saint formalised a relationship with the Aries Saint, everybody was surprised and it became the gossips of the Sanctuary for months.
"For me and Shaka... I think we are a cactus and a desert." Said Mu with a small voice, he is quite embarrassed to say what he thinks of his own relationship, but he doesn't think that it will be possible for him to avoid this question— especially if it's from Milo or Aioria.
"Cactus and desert?" asked Aioria, and Mu nodded while continuing to explain what he had said, "Yes, it may appear to you that Shaka is a desert— dry, hard to live with, extreme and uninteresting," the other saints nodded, "Yes, that's exactly how Shaka is! Extreme and hard to live with!" chirp Milo making Mu and Aioria laugh in response.
But then Mu continue to explain his relationship in his own metaphor, "But, that's exactly the place for a cactus to live— I am a cactus in Shaka's desert, we simply just created for each other, yes the desert is dry, and have an extreme living condition, but a cactus, it managed to understand how to live in a desert, and thus the cactus thriving in the desert after learning to deal with the desert, it finds a place where it can live peacefully and the desert once was only a vast land of sand, now the desert has something with him— something that will be his companion in the desolate."
"Wow, that's a very good one, Mu... I guess I can understand a little why you are with Shaka... I find it hard to imagine to live with an ascetic like him," said Aioria and then the lilac-haired Lemurian replied to his words, "But, I also need Shaka... he is someone who gave me meaning about life, suffering and all— just like the desert who gave the cactus a chance to live in hardships that it turns gave the cactus wisdom of life,"
"Yeah, that's true— and the only one that you haven't given a metaphor is Milo and Camus... So—" said the Leo Saint, but he was stopped halfway by the Scorpio Saint. "Well, for that, you don't need to do that Mu because I already have one for me and my Camus!" said Milo excitedly.
"But, you need to tell us! That's unfair, we have been compared with all the things and you don't want to do it! Isn't this your idea?" said the Leo Saint angrily, while trying to make his violet-haired friends speak his thought. "Ah, no— I will not tell you anything because I want Camus to hear it first!" exclaimed the Scorpio Saint.
"Ew, that so cheesy! Anyway, keep it to yourself, it must be a bad metaphor— I don't even want to hear it anymore!" exclaimed Aioria making a disgusted face, and Mu sighed once again because he has to put up with these childish antics of his friends— again.
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A few days later, the golden order of Athena decided to have a gathering to the nearest restaurant in Rodorio. But, this night is particularly colder than the other nights, and Scorpio Milo eagerly getting ready for the gathering, and of course because this time, he will also get the chance to meet his dear Camus after such a long time because of the latter mission.
Milo put a red scarf around his neck, that scarf was found by him in the unused room in his temple, and because today is very cold, he decided to wear this tonight. After finishing, he then rushes to go to the restaurant and when he arrived there— everyone was already there and he is welcomed by the scream of the Leo Saint.
"Hey, Milo! Why are you so late? Even your beloved Camus has already been here!" exclaimed the Leo Saint while raising his hand making a waving movement for the Scorpio Saint, Milo immediately rushes in and sits beside the Aquarius Saint. Milo sat down while taking the right hand of the Aquarius Saint making the Aquarius Saint a little embarrassed and annoyed because although they have been boyfriends for a long time, the Aquarius Saint still find it unnecessary and shameful to have a public display of affection. But Camus can feel how warm Milo's hand is— it is always so warm more than the room heater that he bought earlier this month.
"Your hand always feel cold, Camus... here take this scarf, this will make you much warmer," says Milo and Camus only closes his eyes and sighs, he really can't deny Milo in this and even though they already talked about not to do this in front of people, Milo will still do it anyway— that's his love language, a public display of affection.
"Oh, Milo... Camus literally lived in Siberia before, this cold is nothing for him!" chirp Deathmask while enjoying a glass of beer, "Talking about coldness— this makes me remember about Asgard. It was almost exactly like this when we were revived there, isn't it?" added the Pisces Saint.
"And oh, a lot happened in Asgard with Aioria having a girlfriend there, Shaka that didn't even want to get out from the cave, and someone who betrayed us for a 'childhood' friend—" babble the Cancer Saint, and Camus tenses up when hearing Deathmask saying that— a betrayer that what he is in front of people, and he is fed up with it. Everyone always brings up that topic— The Gold Saints, the Silver Saint even to the very low-ranking Saints they always talk about it and what makes him mad about it because all of it was true— He is a betrayer.
"Don't ruin the atmosphere, Death that's enough." The Capricorn Saint reprimanded his friend, but the Cancer Saint doesn't even care about Shura's scolding, he was just snorting and then, "But, it's true— Camus is a cold betrayer, he doesn't even think twice and fought in the enemy's side, a cold and heartless person indeed."
Milo stands up to defend Camus, "Hey! Don't say that about my Camus— you ugly crustacean! You have no right—" yelled Milo but was cut off by the Aquarius Saint himself, "Stop it, Milo..."
"But Camus— he insulted you!" exclaimed the violet-haired Scorpio, but Camus only shakes his head and then proceed to go out of the restaurant. The Aquarian never understood why Milo always stand up for someone like him, he felt he doesn't deserve it.
"Wait Camus—" said Milo while also running to follow the Aquarian. "See, he is a cold person— he doesn't even say thank you to that bug who always stands up for him. Doesn't he understand that human needs warmth— not coldness?" Muttered the Cancer Saint. "Stop saying that, Deathmask, you're not better than him," said the Pisces Saint while rolling his eyes— sometimes his partner can be really unbearable.
"I will fetch them, we can't have the gathering without them," said Aioria while getting ready to leave, but he was stopped by Mu, "No, Aioria... let them be,"
"But Mu—" said Aioria hastily but was cut off by the lilac-haired Aries, "Even if you're there, you can't do anything about that..." Aioria raises one of his eyebrows, he doesn't want to put up with Mu's riddle right now, "But why can't I do anything about it?"
"Because..."
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"Camus!" exclaimed the Scorpio Saint.
The Aquarius Saint stopped his steps when he heard the voice of Milo— who was catching his breath after running to follow the Aquarian. And Camus, he cannot say anything anymore, he was simply speechless and couldn't understand why Milo would be willing to chase him like this.
"Huft... I know you were mad at Deathmask and wanted to punch him for saying that— but well it was also half the truth you know— you are a cold person." Said the violet-haired Scorpio while walking closer to his partner who is now raising his eyebrows in annoyance, "You know that and you're still here with me? That's quite stupid, I must say." Said the Aquarius Saint sarcastically.
"Well, that's because you and I are perfect for each other— although you hated me, I will always be with you." Said Milo while immediately taking the hands of the person in front of him, "Because I— Scorpio Milo is a global warming that will thaw the coldness of you— Aquarius Camus, the south pole."
Camus was surprised when he heard Milo saying that, but he can't deny that deep in his heart, he can feel his heart melt because of that "Stop saying nonsense, Milo"
Milo shakes his head and gets closer to the Aquarian, and says, "This is not a nonsensical thing Camus... this is a metaphor of us and I will melt the eternal ice in your heart." The Scorpio Saint then he closes his lips with the one in front of him— and Camus, he couldn't even resist the kiss, and under his breath, he muttered, "Annoying," — yep, for Aquarius Camus, Scorpio Milo is his personal global warming that is annoying— annoyingly irresistible.