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Chapter Text

"Ah, a Gold Saint. Gemini isn't it? I would never forget that face—the one who sealed me."

The purple haired goddess felt a headache coming as she took into the scene displayed before her very eyes.

Her two ancient warriors, Aries Shion and Libra Dohko, were currently trying to get a certain brown-haired toddler to stay still. Shion was obviously having difficulties holding the toddler as the boy was trying to tug Dohko's hair with one hand and clutching the front of his robe with the other.

("Oi, let go! O-hey, don't start climbing on me. Ouch, why are you tugging my hair anyway? It's so short. Look, Shion gets longer hair. Grab him."

"Just what are you teaching him, Dohko." The Pope chastised his long-time friend before sending a warning look at the advancing toddler. "Don't even think about it, kid. Play with Dohko all you want, but don't even think of touching my hair."

"Hey—")

In other times, it might be quite interesting to watch the normally composed and wise warriors panicking over a mere toddler. But with their current situation...she glanced at her right where the other problem resided and frowned.

Gemini Saga was standing uneasily with a rather nervous looking, mini-replica of himself clutching onto his left leg. The second their eyes met, the small blunette had cowered and immediately hide behind Saga's leg much to her surprise.

"Anyone care to explain what the hell happened here?" As usual, Deathmask was the one frank and blunt enough to voice what was in everyone's mind. All gold saints have been suddenly called to the Pope Hall with no specific explanation, and so far, they have been watching in confusion as their seniors struggled with the two children. "What is with twerp and wimp here? Did you get anyone pregnant without our knowledge, Saga?"

The older Gemini glared at him.

"Please stop. Shun, Seiryu, if you would kindly explain the situation to our companion."

"Yes, Saori-san." The Dragon started. "We were walking down from Leo Temple when we felt an enormous cosmo approach..."

"...and that was what happened. We couldn't leave these two behind and decide to bring them here."

As the two bronze finished their tale, the present gold saints frowned at the possibility of facing yet another evil incarnation in the near future. They thought that the war with Hades would be the last one, but it seemed that they were wrong.

"Whose turn is it to watch Pegasus?" Shura asked. The gold saints had been taking turn in watching the boy following their return. Pegasus had pissed off enough gods to warrant a high price on his head, so they had wanted to be prepared just in case someone decided to take advantage of his current condition. One of them would usually accompany him in his daily excursion or simply watch the brunette from afar. It was all to prevent something like this from happening.

"It was my turn last week," Aiolia replied, "so the next one should be either Kanon or Saga."

"It's Kanon's." Milo stated, looking up from watching Dohko frantically pulling the toddler from chewing his hair, "I called him to talk about these amazing scorpions I found this morning. But he wouldn't even let me speak before hanging up. Stingy."

The small blunette behind Saga started fidgeting nervously.

"And where is he now?" This time the question came from Taurus Aldebaran who looked around for the younger Gemini twin.

"Knowing Kanon he could be anywhere, sleeping or planning his next pranks."

More fidgeting.

"Che, how irresponsible."

A flinch.

Milo rolled his eyes, "Like you're one to talk about responsibility, Masky."

"What do you mean by that you damned Scorpio?!"

The said Scorpio just shrugged, "Just what it means, Masky."

"Bastard..."

Whimpering, the small blunette clutched the figure before him tightly. He tried to hide himself behind the larger frame, seeking refuge from the accusing looks and snide comments. His movement caught the attention of Saga, who looked down at the trembling form on his legs and felt a deep ache running through him. The first Gemini turned to his still bickering juniors and commanded, "Stop it!"

All eyes turned to Saga who had spoken all of sudden.

"Kanon is already here."

The older twin stepped to side only to show the little blue-haired boy who had been clinging to his leg.

"This is Kanon."

Several sets of eyes stared at the aforementioned child in open surprise.

Deathmask swore. "That wimpy kid?!"

A grave nod.

"And that one is Seiya." Saga pointed to the toddler currently munching on a piece of chocolate, courtesy of one Libra saint to save his precious hair. The small brunette, apparently recognizing his name, waved cheerfully at the assembling saints.

Those who had been close the boy returned the wave weakly. Aiolia especially was feeling a bit embarrassed as he failed to notice the similarities between the grinning toddler and his teenage self. Beside him, Shaka didn't help the matter as he muttered something about idiotic monkeys and sensing cosmo beforehand. The golden lion groaned in embarrassment.

"Their identity aside...who are going to take care of them?" Aphrodite asked lightly. He didn't really care about those two, but he was sure as hell wouldn't take care of them. At his question, the other gold saints traded glances with each other. They apprently just realized that they now not only had a future foe to think about but also two small kids to babysit.

"I'm sure that Saga can take care of Kanon." Aiolos commented. They all looked at Saga who, in their moment of confusion, has picked up his much younger brother and was patting his back soothingly. He didn't seem disturbed that the small blunette was digging his face onto his neck, trying to hide under the older long mane of blue hair. Well, Saga certainly would take care of his little(er?) brother, so that left them with one remaining problem—Pegasus.

"Don't look at me. I'm not with good kids." The Cancer responded snidely to the speculative look thrown his way.

"Neither do I." Shura added quickly.

Milo glanced around him, searching for potential unfortunate caretaker to deal with mini-Pegasus. Don't get him wrong. He liked the boy and children in general, but taking care of one was a pain in the ass. Not to mention that people kept reminding him how he couldn't take care of children since he was still a child himself. His eyes finally landed on his most favorite friend, a certain ice-block Aquarius, "Well, Camus—"

"Don't even think about it, Milo." The ice saint commented without opening his eyes.

Milo pouted, disappointed that he was missing the chance to see Camus babysitting the small fella. Surely it would be interesting to watch. The Greek immediately set his gaze on his next target, "Mu?"

The gentle Aries somehow managed to appear relieved and apologetic at once. "I'm sorry, but Kiki proves to be a handful already."

None bothered to question Shaka and Aprodhite for obvious reason. But, to say that Aioria and Aiolos didn't volunteer to take on the babysitting duty was quite surprising. The Leo appeared to be holding his brother hand tightly, whispering something along the line of little Seiya and devil spawn, as he stated that they, especially his still recovering brother, unfortunately couldn't take care of younger Pegasus no matter how much they wanted to.

When there was seemingly none wanted to take responsibility of the little trouble maker, Aldebaran mentioned helpfully, "Well, I could—"

"Great! He is yours then!" With a great speed that only befitting to his title as one of the fastest gold saints, Milo had somehow scoped the chocolate mess of a toddler and dumped him on Aldebran's arms.

Surprised at the sudden movement and change of surrounding, Seiya blinked at the giant man that was holding him. He looked around his surrounding in confusion before grinning widely at what he had found. He tugged at Aldebaran's hair and pointed excitedly to the ground in clear demand to be set down.

Blinking, the Taurus followed the request and gently placed the little one back on the ground. He received another blinding grin for his effort, and watched silently as the toddler crawl back at full-speed towards Shion and Dohko.

Everyone, sans the two 18th century saints of Athena, took a moment to stare as the toddler made himself comfortable before the old Aries and Libra before finally agreeing.

"Well, that settles it then."

Chapter Text

Ikki raised his eyebrow at the sight that greeted him upon his arrival in Sanctuary. He watched in silence as Shiryuu and Hyoga struggled to calm a brown-haired toddler while trying to make a bottle of milk. The two looked disheveled and particularly worn out, like they have been out fighting the gold saints instead of taking care a mere toddler. They hadn't even noticed him, although the Phoenix had made no effort whatsoever to conceal his presence. He continued watching how the small brunette began to fuss as the duo failed yet again to make a simple bottle of milk—

"...do you think we are supposed to use teaspoon or table spoon?"

Shiryuu, awkwardly carrying a squirming Seiya, looked at the spoons Hyoga was holding and frowned in confusion, "I am not sure, maybe we can use both..."

The Cygnus nodded and put a few odd spoonful of the baby formula into the bottle, "Then we just need to add water right?"

"Yes." Shiryuu paused, watching the blonde fill the bottle to the brim until the point of overflowing. "Hyoga, I don't think you are supposed to add that much water."

"Really?" Hastily pouring more than half of the content to the drain, the blond capped the bottle and gave it a few shake. Both watched as the liquid inside the bottle quickly turned into pale white, resembling more of muddy water than milk. "..."

"Roshi mentioned that it was supposed to be white in color and in normal body temperature." Shiryuu stated. He shifted Seiya onto one of his arms and reached for the baby bottle with his other. "It is cold."

Hyoga shrugged, looking at the small God Slayer who began to kick a fuss at being hungry. "Well, Seiya always likes shaved ice."

At this point, Seiya's cries had almost became deafening. The present saints winced at the amount of noise and racket the boy made as he cried. Shiryuu especially was struggling to hold Seiya in place even as he kicked and pulled at his hair restlessly. Hyoga attempted to assist him only to end up getting kicked on the chest by one hungry toddler.

"Give him to me." Ikki commanded, successfully surprising the two as he seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. The Phoenix reached for the crying toddler and immediately took him from Shiryuu. He gently rocked the small body, making a few soothing noise as he tried to calm the younger male. It took about five minutes before Seiya finally calm down, his cries subsided into small sniffs.

The two bronze, plus a bunch of newly arrived gold saints, looked in awe as Ikki, with excellent expertise, finished making a bottle of milk in mere seconds. He then switched Seiya into a more comfortable position and told the toddler to drink. They watched, flabbergasted, as the little Pegasus squealed and gulped his milk hungrily.

"How…?"

"He must have his practice with Shun. Ikki did raise Shun by himself after all."

"Oh."

They continued watching as Seiya finished his milk and Ikki wiped his face with obvious care.

Another stunning event it seemed.

Hyoga's hand itched to his phone, planning to record the memorable occurrence in secret.

"Don't even think about it, Hyoga." The Phoenix warned without even turning around.

The Cygnus cursed, letting his hand fall back to where it was.

Meanwhile, Seiya had blinked and titled his head cutely at the interaction between the older boys.

Ikki was about to say something else to the sulking blonde saint when there was a small tug on his shirt. He looked down to find Seiya grinning at him.

"What?"

The dark-haired saint saw two chubby arms wrap around his chest and try to draw him into a small hug. Seiya snuggled onto the older's chest as he chirped happily, "Nii-san…"

"—Huh?!"

To think that something would happen during his turn of all times...

The younger Gemini cursed as he put another burst of speed. The foreign cosmo he felt earlier was rising tremendously. He had a bad feeling about this. Saga surely would have his head if anything happen to that Pegasus kid!

The moment he arrived at the flower field, Kanon realized that he might be too late. An unruly, dark-haired man was picking up what appeared to be a brown-haired toddler into his arms.

"Mind letting go of that twerp here?" In a flash of gold, the Gemini Cloth appeared behind him. It covered the body of the former Marine General in mere seconds, responding to the immediate threat to its bearer.

"Ah, a Gold Saint." The somewhat familiar man grinned, "Gemini isn't it? I would never forget that face—the one who sealed me."

Saga was already running before the second scream made itself known through the Gemini Temple. He managed to reach the other's bedroom in record time and almost broke down the door to get inside. The room was small but big enough for a simple dresser, a small table and a metal framed bed. The walls were faded, wood details made large squares on the walls, making the appearance of an invisible window. He saw the small child that was his twin sleeping on the small bed, shivering under the thin blanket, a stuffed toy clutched tightly to his chest in search for comfort.

Saga watched the familiar face confronted in pain, feeling a slight twinge inside him. He shook Kanon's shoulder, startling him awake and gasping for breath. Tears ran down the pale cheeks as hazy blue eyes slowly opened in fear of seeing his dream become reality. Saga was still standing silently beside the bed, feeling…concern? pity? compassion? for the small blunette. He paused at that thought. This was Kanon they were talking about, surely his twin was pretty much capable of taking care of himself even as a child?

The first Gemini was still deep in thought when he felt a tug on his clothes. He looked down and saw his younger mirror image staring at him with pleading eyes, a look that immediately caused a feeling to rise in his chest. He stared at those bright blue eyes, so full of fear, begging him to stay and protect him like no one had ever had. He was about to say something when a small voice suddenly spoke up, followed by a sniffle. "...'m scared."

Saga staggered back as Kanon suddenly threw himself at him. His body was being squeezed harder than before, almost as if Kanon was trying to break his ribs. Kanon buried his face on Saga's chest, basking on the comforting scent and security of his older brother. The small body shuddered as the memory of his nightmare burned brightly on his mind. He remembered calling a gold-colored armor, similar to the one Saga wore, and basking in its familiar power before he experienced a strange sense of self. He remembered being frozen, unable to move and at the mercy of some dark, malicious being. It grinned at him, offering a mocking farewell as his world descended into darkness.

"Kanon?"

There was no response from the small blunette, expect his hold getting tighter by the second.

"Are you okay?"

It took him a few minutes but the younger twin finally answered quietly, "...un."

"Ah," Saga felt awkward. It had been years since he had last taken care of someone. Since Kanon was basically the same age as him, he had never needed to play the role of an older brother like Aiolos to Aiolia. Hence, to take care of Kanon in his five-year-old self put him in a rather difficult position. "Are you sure?"

"Yea..."

Both stayed silent after that. Saga, knowing his twin stubborn nature, simply ran his hand through Kanon's hair in hope of calming him. He patiently waited until the boy was relaxed enough before asking, "Do you have a nightmare?" He felt Kanon tense and knew that his guess was spot on. He continued, "Want to talk about it?"

Kanon shook his head, face still buried onto the older's chest and arms tight around him. Saga sighed. Kanon had always been like that; he would not tell anything even if he obviously had a problem.

They stayed like that for some time, with the younger clinging to the older who attempted to comfort him awkwardly. Saga looked out of the window and mentally calculated the hours that had passed.

"You should some get some sleep. It's still too early for you to wake up." He advised, trying to put Kanon back to his bed. The boy refused to budge. "Don't worry. I'll stay here until you feel asleep."

Kanon shook his head again, refusing to relent his grip on the other, "...no, don't go." The plea was almost too quiet for Saga to pick up. The older stiffened as he noticed how the small hands gripping him were trembling. "Stay..."

The was a sudden weight in his chest, it grew until he couldn't take it anymore. Saga stared, realizing for the first time how vulnerable his twin could be in their younger years. He had scarcely paid any attention to Kanon ever since he first became the Gemini Saint, and they had long drifted apart before then. In his memory, Kanon always appeared to possess devil-may-care attitude; he was ignorant, sarcastic, arrogant, and full of mockery. He never saw his twin in any condition that could classify him as weak. But seeing Kanon right now...

"Alright." He agreed on. His twin looked up at him in surprise and apparent hope. "Go back to sleep. I am not going anywhere. I'll stay here tonight."

"Promise?"

Saga smiled, "Yes." He sat down on the bed to show the other he was staying. "Now, sleep. I'll be here when you wake up."

Kanon reluctantly nodded. He briefly let go of him in order to pick up his discarded blanket and toy. He then looked expectedly at the other Gemini. Saga, realizing what the boy wanted, laid down on the small bed and tried to get as comfortable as he could. He had expected Kanon to sleep next to him like he always did when they were younger. But he was surprised when the five-year-old immediately reached for him and snuggled to his chest with his new plush toy. His much younger twin looked almost happy as he glanced up at him from his position on his chest, "Good night, Saga—big brother."

Stunned, the older took a few moment to collect himself before slowly answering, "Good night..." Pushing the confusing thoughts aside, he tentatively put his arm around the smaller form. He felt Kanon sigh contently at the touch and relaxed slightly. "Sleep well, little brother."

Chapter Text

Clockwork

Chapter 3

Saga woke up to the sun shining on his face. He felt strangely refreshed despite how late it must be. It had been so long since he had a good night sleep. Usually he would only manage to get a few scant hours of sleep before he was either disturbed by his memory or was summoned for duty.

The older Gemini then looked down and found a head of familiar blue hair resting on his chest. A pair of small hands clutching onto his shirt, preventing him from moving without rousing his twin. He wondered how the boy could move from sleeping beside him to laying exactly on top of him.

"Kanon." He called, gently shaking the sleeping figure, "Kanon, wake up."

The five-year-old blinked. He gazed at the older sleepily and scrubbed back the remain of sleep with his hand. "Sa…ga?"

"Yes, come on, it's pretty late. We have to wake up and get ready for the day."

The boy yawned and slowly followed Saga out of the bed. He watched silently as the older moved around to make the bed, "Are you going to prepare your Saga special again? I like the one you made last week."

Saga paused, his mind trying to recall the exact moment his twin was talking about. "Last week?"

The small Gemini nodded. "Un, you made some thing like…sandwich? It didn't look good but it was really delicious. Can you make it again?"

"Ah..." He had almost forgotten about the dish, if it could be called that. He just put together an assortment of leftover he found, adding a few spices and wishing that his twin would like it. They, Kanon especially, didn't really get the chance to eat anything fancy before. So, as the older brother, Saga wanted to take care of his little brother and prepared something that his brother would enjoy—

"—What is this?"

"This is...bre—I mean, this is Saga's special! Come on, you have to try it!"

The Saga's special or whatever its name surely didn't look so appetizing. However, not wanting to disappoint his enthusiastic brother, Kanon tentatively took a bite of the strange sandwich and chewed it slowly. Inwardly, Saga sighed in relief in seeing Kanon eating. He hoped that the dish was at least good enough so that his brother could enjoy a decent meal. "How is it?"

"...it's nice. It isn't bland like the porridge that you brought last time." Taking another bite of the small bread, Kanon frowned as he looked at the other. "Where is yours?"

His twin smiled, "I am not hungry."

Kanon looked at Saga then at the sandwich on his hand. He stared long at it before clumsily dividing the sandwich into two uneven pieces. He gave the biggest piece to Saga, "There. We can eat them together."

Saga shook his head, refusing the offered treat, "You should eat. I have...eaten mine before coming here."

Kanon pushed the small bread stubbornly to Saga's direction, "I won't eat if you're not eating."

Seeing the determined look on his twin's face, the older finally relented and reluctantly accepted his share. Kanon beamed at him and quickly went back his sandwich.

"Can you make this again next week, Sa—"

"—ga? Are you okay?"

Feeling an insistent tug on his pants, Saga looked down to find a pair of sea green eyes staring worriedly at him. "Don't worry. I am fine." He reassured the other, "why don't you go wash yourself while I prepare breakfast?"

Kanon immediately brightened, "I can go alone?"

"Yes, but please be careful and try not to get water everywhere."

As the small figure of his brother ran off to the direction of the bathroom, Saga headed to the kitchen and set to prepare the breakfast Kanon requested. However, as there was barely anything left in his pantry, he was only able to make a simple sandwich and reheat the leftover soup they had yesterday. He carried everything to the table just as Kanon made his appearance.

"How can you make them so fast?" The small blunette asked in amazement. He looked at the food being laid down on the table and felt his stomach growl at the delicious smell. Everything looked so good! The vegetables looked so fresh, and the soup was still steaming! He hurriedly turned to Saga and saw the older nod, giving him the go ahead. Kanon didn't waste time as he dived onto his sandwich. The bread was really soft and fluffy, it tasted really good combined with crunchy vegetable, cheese, and ham! It didn't take long for the younger Gemini to finish his share, and he was about to reach for the last remaining sandwich when he recognized that Saga hasn't eaten and just watched him. He looked around the table, and didn't see any other sandwich besides the one before him. "You are not eating?"

"I don't usually eat breakfast in the morning."

Kanon frowned, he didn't seem all pleased with the answer. "But you always say that breakfast is really important!"

"I did…" the older admitted. He did say that before, long before they arrived at Sanctuary and he became a full-fledged saint. But things were different now. "We just don't have much time today." he tried to explain, seeing his brother frown deepened. He brought his cooling cup of coffee and showed it to Kanon, "This will hold me until lunch."

Kanon didn't say anything and simply stared pointedly at the other for a good while. "Saga, since you're now bigger then you can use knife right?"

The older seemed surprised at being asked. He nodded at his twin and answered hesitatingly, "…yes."

"Then cut this for me?" With that, the small blunette pushed the plate to his direction. Saga reluctantly obeyed and cut the sandwich into four smaller pieces. Kanon smiled happily at the result, he took two of the smaller pieces and offered the rest to him, "This is for you and this for me!"

"I won't eat if you're not eating."

Chapter Ends

Chapter Text

One afternoon, while the Gold Saints were gathered for a meeting, Kanon was tasked with looking after Seiya. The toddler was full of boundless energy, constantly running around and exploring his surroundings with unbridled curiosity. Kanon found himself constantly on his toes, trying to keep up with Seiya's antics while ensuring his safety.

The blunette walked over to Seiya, who had now discovered a shiny pebble and was examining it with intense curiosity. "Hey, do you want to play a game?" Kanon asked, trying to engage him.

Seiya looked up, his big eyes sparkling with excitement. "P'ay! P'ay!" he echoed, clapping his hands.

Kanon nodded, feeling a bit more confident. "Okay, how about we play hide and seek? I'll count to ten and you go hide."

Seiya's face lit up, and without waiting for further instructions, he scampered off to find a hiding spot. Kanon began counting slowly, giving Seiya enough time to hide.

Saga watched from a distance as Kanon and Seiya played together, his mind a whirl of emotions. Kanon, who had been a fierce fighter, now looked so innocent and small. It was a stark reminder of how time and circumstances could change someone so drastically. The older Gemini felt a protective instinct surge within him, mixed with a deep sense of nostalgia.

Kanon, on the other hand, still seemed nervous about his new role. He was unaccustomed to taking care of someone younger than himself, and the responsibility weighed heavily on his small shoulders. Seiya, however, was blissfully unaware of Kanon's anxiety. The toddler giggled and clapped his hands, clearly enjoying the attention and the game they were playing.

From their vantage point, the Gold Saints, along with Dohko and Shion, observed the scene with a mixture of amusement and curiosity. Deathmask shook his head in disbelief, muttering under his breath, "I can't believe that's Kanon. He used to be such a daredevil, and now look at him, acting like scaredy cat."

Milo replied with a shrug. "Give him a break. He's just a kid now. Besides, it's kind of cute seeing him like this."

A certain Pisces, watching the interaction with mild interest, added, "It's hard to imagine that this innocent boy will grow up to be such a formidable warrior. But I suppose we all start somewhere."

From his post leaning against a nearby pillar, Sagittarius smiled warmly at the sight. "It's good for them to have moments like this. They'll need these memories to hold onto when things get tough."

Aiolia, standing beside his brother, nodded in agreement. "And it's nice to see Seiya so happy. He's been through a lot for someone so young."

Shion and Dohko exchanged knowing glances, their expressions reflecting a shared history of seeing young warriors grow and evolve. "They'll be fine," Shion said softly. "They're strong in spirit, even if they don't realize it yet."

As the Saints continued to watch, Kanon hesitated, unsure of what to do when Seiya started to wander towards a small stream nearby. Panic flashed in his eyes, but he quickly moved to intercept the toddler, gently guiding him back to the safe play area. Seiya, undeterred, simply laughed and began a new game, trying to catch a butterfly that had fluttered into their midst.

Saga couldn't help but smile at the sight. Despite his nerves, Kanon was doing his best, and that was all he could ask for. He felt a swell of pride for his younger brother, knowing that this experience would help shape him into the person he was meant to become.

"He's doing well," Aiolos said quietly, coming to stand beside Saga. "It's not easy being thrust into a role you're not ready for, but Kanon is handling it with grace."

Saga nodded, his eyes never leaving the pair of children. "I know. It's just... hard to see him like this. So vulnerable."

"Vulnerability isn't always a weakness," Aiolos replied. "Sometimes, it's what makes us stronger. It reminds us of what we're fighting for."

Saga turned to look at the Sagittarius Saint, finding comfort in his words. "You're right. Thank you, Aiolos."

As the day wore on, Kanon's confidence grew. He started to relax and enjoy the game with Seiya, who was more than happy to have a playmate. The other Saints, seeing that the children were in good hands, gradually dispersed to attend to their duties, though many of them continued to glance back occasionally, smiling at the heartwarming sight.

As the evening sun cast its warm glow over Sanctuary, Shion and Dohko approached Seiya, who was now yawning and rubbing his eyes sleepily. Shion scooped the tired toddler into his arms, and Seiya immediately snuggled against him, finding comfort in the elder saint's embrace. With a small smile, Shion looked down at the sleepy child and gently brushed a strand of hair from his face.

"He's quite the handful, isn't he?" Dohko remarked with a chuckle, patting Seiya's head affectionately.

Shion nodded, his expression fond. "Indeed, but he's also full of spirit. It's refreshing to see."

Turning to Kanon, who was leaning against Saga, Dohko offered a grateful smile. "Thank you for looking after Seiya, Kanon. You did a wonderful job."

Kanon nodded, his eyes heavy with sleep. "No problem. He's... fun to play with."

With a nod of appreciation, Shion and Dohko bid farewell to the group and began to make their way back to their quarter, Seiya still nestled in Shion's arms. As they disappeared from view, Kanon yawned widely, his energy finally waning.

"Looks like someone's ready for bed," Saga commented, noticing Kanon's drooping eyelids.

The younger twin shook his head, denying the obvious signs of tiredness. 

"Would you like me to carry you?" Came an offer from Saga, concern evident in his voice.

The small blunette hesitated, then shook his head stubbornly. "No, I can walk."

Saga smiled softly, understanding Kanon's desire to prove himself. "Alright, but if you get too tired, let me know."

They began the journey back to the Gemini house, the path dimly lit by the fading light of day. Kanon walked beside Saga, his steps becoming slower and more unsteady with each passing minute. Saga kept a close eye on him, ready to step in at any moment.

As they approached the third house, Kanon stumbled, nearly falling to the ground. Saga's heart clenched with worry.

"...'m fine," Kanon insisted, trying to hide his exhaustion.

But Saga could see through his brother's facade. Gently, he scooped Kanon into his arms, feeling the weight of his brother's tired body against his chest. Kanon protested weakly, but soon his eyes began to flutter closed, the rhythm of Saga's steps lulling him to sleep.

The older Gemini held his brother close as they walked, the weight of responsibility heavy on his shoulders. He couldn't shake the feeling of uncertainty that lingered between them.

But as he looked down at Kanon's peaceful face, all doubts faded away. In that moment, there was only the bond between them, stronger than any obstacle they might face. With a soft smile, Saga murmured, "You did good today, little brother."