Echoes of Humanity

The next day the two Saints parted ways early, each to their own duties. It was a fairly leisurely day, mostly spent cleaning. The end of the day, however, was marked by a duty that none of the Saints enjoyed, on a deeply emotional level. They met on the stones of the upper temple with varying expressions of stress on their face, prepared to remove whatever debris lay upon the not-quite shrine that housed the empty Cloths. No one said a thing as they did, cleaning the dust from the boxes and organizing various objects that had fallen into disorder. The task lasted no more than fifteen minutes, but each of them looked equally exhausted upon exiting.

After leaving the room, the five men looked at each other warily, unsure what to say. Silence permeated the air for several minutes before Aldebaran sighed.

“Why don\'t we go eat?” The Taurus Saint asked, attempting to break the silence and using one of the only things that united them. Mu doubted if Aldebaran was even particularly hungry, but it was something to change the mood. He nodded, as did the others.

Dinner started quietly, as everyone kept to their own thoughts and small worlds, but gradually conversation warmed, and soon the Saints were involved in each other\'s energies, speaking of everything from philosophy to the excellent quality of the bread being served. As the evening ended, they walked towards the Aries temple as a group, continuing the conversations started during dinner or creating new ones as they were needed.

In front of the temple, they paused as a group to say goodnight to Mu, as the Aries Saint started into his own temple. Mu stood for a moment, looking at Shaka unsurely, unwilling to ask the question of whether the Virgo Saint would be staying the night. Shaka took a deep breath before nodding, and separated himself from the group as well. Mu was uncomfortably aware that the others surprised eyes on him, but his won gaze sought out Milo. The Scorpio Saint\'s eyes were burning into him, through him, with an undistinguishable emotion, and Mu sighed.

“May I have a word with you, Scorpio?” He asked, not sure what he was going to say. Milo looked bewildered, but followed him a few feet from the others. Mu looked at him for a long moment, searching for the words to properly convey his meaning.

As the silence stretched on, Milo looked across the clearing at Shaka, then back to Mu. His head cocked slightly, and he stared at the Aries Saint hard. His expression was unreadable. “I don\'t believe it. You two actually came out of your walls long enough to notice each other.” He said.

Mu nodded, slowly. He wasn\'t sure how Milo had discovered his meaning without his saying anything, but thought it was perhaps best not to ask. “It\'s still none of your business,” he finally said, “But I think that I should probably…” He was cut off by Milo, who raised a hand, expression finally recognizable as both curious and surprised.

“Please don\'t thank me.” The Scorpio Saint said firmly. “I find it quite satisfying to see you together but, to tell the truth, I probably would have been just as happy, if not more so, to see you torturing yourselves for the rest of your lives.”

Mu smiled. “I\'m not sure I believe that.”

“Believe what you want. Your naivety still manages to surprise me, though.” He paused. “Besides, it was Aldebaran who was truly in your corner.”

Mu looked over his shoulder, to where the Taurus Saint was speaking with Shaka in quiet tones, the Virgo Saint nodding in acquiescence over whatever their topic was.

“I still don\'t know how he figured it out, even.”

Milo raised an eyebrow. “Mu, we all know.”

“Oh.” Mu replied quietly, as he realized that another of the things he tried to keep close to himself and closed away with walls of emotional steel had been exposed. “How?”

“It might be the fact that you two are absolutely at ease in each other\'s presence, and nowhere else.” Aiolia remarked from behind him, the words making Mu jump. The Leo Saint was leaning against the wall, dangling an open beer bottle in one hand. He tossed a second bottle to Milo, who caught it over Mu\'s shoulder, raising the bottle in silent thanks to Aiolia. Mu raised an eyebrow, surprised. Milo just smiled.

“I decided I needed a drinking buddy.”

“It\'s done wonders for his temperament.” Aiolia added with a grin. “Especially since he rarely turns into a raving madman anymore.”

Mu blinked in surprise, and then shook his head when Milo glared at the Leo Saint with alternating emotions of genuine anger and resigned amusement. Aldebaran and Shaka chose that moment to join them, and Aldebaran took in the situation quickly.

“We take care of our own, since we have too. While you and Shaka were off sorting out your problems, we weren\'t idle in taking care of our own.” He said.

Mu was silent for a moment. “What have we become to each other?” He asked, quietly.

It was Shaka, surprisingly enough, who answered. “Friends, I think. At the least comrades.”

“Sounds right to me.” Aiolia said, eyes bright at he looked at the Virgo Saint with understanding.

A light breeze suddenly flowed through the clearing, and Milo cocked his head, enjoying its freshness.

“I\'m going to bed.” He remarked, and then glanced at the bottle in his hand, from which he had taken only a few sips. “Or at least going to head up.” He looked back up at Aldebaran, then Aiolia. “You guys want to come with?”

Both men nodded, and the three Saints, without even moving formed a small trio that spoke of camraderie and closeness. Milo looked at Mu and Shaka, smiling slightly.

“I would invite you two to come along, but something tells me that you probably wouldn\'t be so into male bonding.”

“Very perceptive of you.” Shaka said wryly. “Enjoy yourselves and your beer.” He added, shuddering slightly at the latter.

Aiolia saluted jauntily. “Of course.” He said brightly, as the three men turned to head towards the upper temples.

Mu watched them leave, dumbfounded. “I think we missed something.”

“No, we didn\'t. I think we just healed on our own terms.” Shaka replied quietly.

Mu turned to him, and was surprised at how natural it felt to walk up to Shaka and slide his arm around the blond. “We were all in so many pieces. How did we manage?”

“Good support, and a goddess that wanted us to survive. I don\'t think the wounds are gone, I think they\'ve just become scars.”

“Maybe we\'re stronger for it.” Mu mused. Shaka nodded in agreement.

“I think we are. Scar tissue is thicker and stronger than the flesh surrounding it. Perhaps it works the same way on the heart.”

“Maybe we just figured out what matters in life.” Mu replied. Shaka said nothing in reply, and Mu understood that the Virgo Saint was torn by the words.

“We should probably go to bed.” Shaka said, instead of responding. Mu nodded, and bit his lip. He wanted, desperately, to ask Shaka a question. Tilting his head up, he examined the Virgo Saint carefully for a moment.

“Not alone?” He asked, the words both a question and a request, and wrought with uncertainty. Another long silence followed, and then Shaka nodded, almost imperceptibly.

“Not alone.”