Disclaimer: I don't own SSTLC characters!

You can kiss me

When Degel opened his eyes in the glare of the morning, it passed a few minutes before he realized that no one was lying beside him. The bed was cold, cooled by his cool presence, and any warm Scorpio wasn't here to heat him up.

"Is he still resentful?" the Aquarius thought, starring at the stone ceiling and feeling… a guilt?

He tried to get up from the bed and for his relief the pain wasn't that tremendous as the last night. He just felt some fire in his limbs and an overwhelming weight inside his chest. And a fragility of his own heart. That'all. Assuming that there was no danger anymore, Degel stood up, took his first step and… The next moment he was kneeling on the floor, with his hand clamping on his chest. His legs was weak, he could feel that fire changed into an excruciating pain in them; a painful spasm gripped his heart; this weight inside his chest grew up, making it difficult to breathe. What was happening to him?

"Idiot," he heard above his head. Then the strong, warm hands helped him to lie back on the bed. "Do you think you are able to move? Or… Do you think you should move from this bed that early?"

Kardia's voice was harsh a bit, like his owner still bore within himself the resentment.

"I think I should go to my own bed as soon as possible, Kardia. You have to be bored to have a bedmate like me…" Degel's words were so quiet.

"Nonsense."

But Kardia didn't even look at him.

"You should rest here. And don't even move any of your weak muscles from that bed," added the blue-haired Saint, turning around, and intending to leave.

"You should rest too, Kardia."

The Scorpio murmured something under his own nose. Then he sighed and said:

"I'm in much better state that you, Degel. Just rest here. If not, you may die."

And he left without looking at his injured friend.

Degel was laying peacefully on the bed for a while, thinking about this situation. The pain from his leg turned into the fire again, his arms were burning too. And his heart seemed to be really weak. It didn't cause him much pain, but it was giving him signals about its fragility. A quiet beating could be barely heard in the room, telling to the Aquarius, that Kardia was right: he could die with any move.

And then Degel remembered friend's voice; angry a bit, and a wounded voice. And that continuous avoidance of his eyes. Probably Kardia felt used by his friend, used in a cruel way: his friend was playing with him. Even if the Scorpio Saint liked to play with his enemies' life, he hated to be treated like that by his friend. His best friend…

Degel one more time sat on the bed, intending to leave the Scorpio Temple and got out of the friend's sight. This time it wasn't that hard to take a few steps, after all the Aquarius knew what he should expect. He even managed to not holding his hand on his chest, when the wounded heart almost screamed at his owner in the desperation.

He even couldn't take a deep breath of the fresh, morning air, when he finally got out of the Temple. The sun was shining extremely strong, any clouds were covering the blue sky, and as far as Degel was able to see, the all sights of the intruders were cleaned. The day came back to its usual way, the young boys were training on the fight fields, a few Saints patrolled the area near the Sanctuary, and there wasn't any trace of Kardia around. Perfect.

It took him long time to climb all the stairs between the Scorpio and the Sagittarius Temple. After all it wasn't so simple, with his weak legs, the trembling heart and the difficulties in breathing. He had lucky, there was plenty of walls and rocks so he could rest a while relying on them. Without that help he could collapse long ago.

"Degel!" he heard a surprised voice.

It was Sisyphus, the Sagittarius Gold Saint, and the guardian of the Temple in front of which Degel was standing. The eyes of the elder fellow were filled with worry.

"You are barely standing! What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be resting right now?"

Degel smiled to him.

"I should. That is why I am trying to back to my Temple," he said, and fell on his knees.

"And Kardia allowed that?! And let you go alone?!" Sisyphus almost screamed, catching his fellow, and helping him to stand up.

"Kardia don't know about that. I left on my own."

"Why? I think Kardia is able to take care of his injured friend."

"That is not the problem. I am just an eyesore to him."

"An eyesore? You had a quarrel?"

"No. Could you help me to get to my Temple? Please."

The Sagittarius sighed. He looked at the Scorpio Temple, then at Degel and next at the long way they had to pass.

"No problem. But I think it would be better for you if you stay with Kardia."

The Aquarius smiled to him.

"I can take care of my own, do not worry."

"I'm aware of that, but I don't know if Kardia will be fine. Two days ago, when he brought you to Athena, he looked like a ghost. Try to understand him, you are his friend, and even if he doesn't want to show this, it could be really painful for him to loose you," said Sisyphus, helping him to walk. They were moving slowly, as if the Sagittarius had hope, that Degel will change his mind.

"Two days… I slept long time."

"Yeah. And he was on your side all the time."

Degel turned hid head behind, trying to take a look at the Scorpio Temple, but it was invisible now. He returned to walking.

"Now he will be fine," the Aquarius cut the topic.

Sisyphus shook his head in disbelief and sighed, looking at the Capricorn Temple, who was so close now. He hoped that El Cid will help him with changing Degel's mind. Eventually, he wished that the Aquarius will fell senseless in the way, so he could bring him back to Kardia, where the injured man was much safer than in his own Temple… completely alone.

But the Capricorn Temple was empty; nobody came up to help the Sagittarius with bringing Degel back to his friend. He had to accept the fact that Degel will end in his own Temple soon.

"You can leave me now," said Degel, when they were in the front of the Aquarius Temple. "I can go by my own. I am sorry for trouble."

The Sagittarius sighed.

"As you wish. But I still think you…"

"Really, thanks, Sisyphus. You do not have to worry about me."

The bronze-haired man shook his head, and left him with a really heavy hart.

Degel waited till his fellow disappeared in the Capricorn Temple. Then he entered his own place, walking slowly, with difficulties, leaning against the walls and the columns. He was breathing harder; his heart trembled in warning with every step. Even this pain in his limbs was worse. He knew that if he wouldn't get to his bed soon, he could pay for his selfishness.

He took a rest for a while, trying to calm down his weak heart. He almost made it, breathing as deep as the wounded lungs allowed. He even managed to stifle that terrible pain in his legs. But it took a while for him to be able to walk further. Step by step he finally reached the bedroom.

Then his legs refused to obey his will, Degel couldn't take any more steps. He leaned his back against the wall and sat on the floor, breathing hard, spasmodically. His heart was in a pain, real pain; it felt like it would stop any moment. He touched his chest, and feeling wetness he looked at his fingers.

Blood. There was blood on them; the fresh, red blood that soaked through the bandages and a linen tunic.

'Shit, my wound opened.' Degel though, closing his eyes with weariness, resting his green-haired head on the wall behind him. He should change the used bandages, but for now he didn't have any strength to do that. In that moment he wanted only to rest, even if it meant, that he would sleep on the stone, cold floor.

Then someone slapped him. Degel opened his eyes hardly, and looked into the blue, furious eyes.

"You fuckin' moron! Don't fall asleep!" Kardia's mad voice was like a pail of the icy water for him. "Don't you dare to fall asleep, ashole!"

"Kardia…"

"What did you think, leaving my side? In this state?" the Scorpio kneeled beside him, holding his shoulder. Was it a panic in his voice? "Shit!" he cursed, looking at the blood that was flowing from between Degel's fingers. "Wait here, I will bring the bandages. And don't fall asleep!"

Kardia left his bedroom in a hurry. It didn't pass even one minute when he was back.

"Kardia, you should not act like that. Don't get too excited and angry. I do not have too much strength to cure you if you worsen the condition of your heart," said Degel, trying to touch Kardia's chest. But the Scorpio caught his hand firmly.

"You should be concern on your own heart more than mine."

Degel freed his hand from Kardia's grip, and touched his cheek, leaving the red marks of the blood.

"Sorry," whispered the Aquarius, still touching a warm cheek of friend.

"For what?" asked Kardia, looking at him with a surprise.

"For my selfishness."

"Stop talking nonsense, Degel." The Scorpio took of friend's tunic gently. The Aquarius surrendered to the action without any words. "C'mon, I have to treat you now."

He unwrapped slowly the bandages from Degel's body and cleaned his skin from the blood.

"Why you are always cold, Degel? Normal people could get a fever because of these wounds, but no, you have to get much cooler, that you used to be!" he murmured with a frustration, bandaging his friend with the new bandages.

Degel chuckled slightly. His friend sighed, and helped him to stand up.

"Now you will rest, and won't move from your bed until tomorrow evening, idiot!" said Kardia, when Degel was under the blanket, lying comfortably. The blue-haired Saint sat down on the floor with long sigh, resting his back against the side of the bed.

Any of them didn't say even one word for a long time. When Kardia though, that his friend fell asleep finally, he said to himself:

"Don't you dare to scare me like that. Never again."

A cold hand touched his head, and started to stroke gently his blue curls.

"Sorry. I will never do that again," he heard, and looked at his friend. Degel was watching him carefully, with sadness on his face. "Should I stop?" he pointed at his hand on the blue hair.

"No," answered the Scorpio. "It is nice."

Silence again.

"Kardia?"

"What? Why are you not sleeping by now?"

"I think I am cold. Could you warm me, please?"

The Scorpio gasped under his nose. He stood up, and slipped under the blanket, closing his arms around his friend as tightly as it didn't cause the pain to the green-haired Saint. But even then, Degel didn't do what Kardia was asking him, still having his eyes wide opened. In the one moment, the Aquarius Saint turned to the side, to face his friend. A cold hand rested on the hot neck, a thumb was touching lightly Kardia's cheek.

"Kardia, I want you to know I will not play with you anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"Last night you asked what game I am playing with you. I don't know myself what kind of game it was, but I am not going to do that again."

The Scorpio was silent for a moment.

"So… You mean…?"

"I will give you what you want. Because I want this too. Of course, when I will be in better shape."

He closed his eyes, and didn't say any more word. After a few seconds Kardia realized, that he finally fell asleep, with his cold hand still on his warm neck.

Degel placed his hand on Kardia's chest, looking inside the blue, wild eyes of his friend. He sent a huge amount of his own, cold cosmo into Scorpio's heart.

"Would you ever learn not to attack the enemy, who could reflect your own Scarlet Needle?"

"But it is fun!" answered Kardia with weak voice.

"Fun?! Are you an idiot?!"

Kardia stroke his green, long hair, and then placed his hand on Degel's cheek.

"Calm down, my dear Degel. An angry is fatal for your beauty," he said with wide smile on his face. "Besides it is your fault. I had to free my frustration after our earlier meeting. I have to calm down my Needle."

"Calm down your Needle…?" whispered the Aquarius Saint. "Idiot, my cosmo isn't working now…" a few hot tears felt down his cheeks. "You are dying, Kardia…"

Degel saw only surprise in his friend's eyes, when the Scorpio took a look at something behind his back. Second later something pierced the place where Degel had his heart. A cold steel tore his flesh through the whole body, and the Aquarius could see a sharp arrowhead of the weapon, covered by his red blood. He turned his head, and looked at the enemy. The intruder smiled evilly and pushed his harpoon-shaped weapon harder until it finally stopped on hot, ill heart of Kardia.

The Aquarius couldn't do anything, he was only watching as his own blood was flowing down the metal weapon, and mixing with the blood of his friend. Scorpio's eyes were loosing their glow with every moment, but his hand on Degel's cheek didn't twitch even once.

Then Kardia smiled warmly, and with that smile on his young face he died quietly. His hand fell down, but Degel caught it tightly, at the same time calling desperately his friend's name and…

…he opened his eyes, screaming Kardia's name into the black, starless night.

It was a dream, just a stupid dream, and he, Degel, was still lying in his own bed with living Kardia on his side.

"What's wrong, Degel?" asked the Scorpio with worried voice. "A nightmare?"

Degel nodded only, being not able to say anything. He grabbed Kardia's arm like it would disappear at any moment.

'It was a dream,' he thought. 'Only a dream. Kardia is still alive, and nothing happened to him…'

He felt warm hand on his forehead. Kardia was checking the temperature of his body.

"You are still incredible cold, dear Degel," Kardia said, now touching his cheek gently. "It is like I'm lying with ice-statue in one bed…"

Degel couldn't hold himself any longer. He caught Kardia's blue-haired head and kissed him greedily.

"Whoa…! What for?" asked Kardia when he was able to do that.

"I just…" Degel started, breathing hard. "Oh, never mind!"

He pulled Kardia's head again and their lips met each other one more time. It was a long, passionate kiss; the kiss as passionate as never before. The Scorpio could feel an infinite lust in every move of his friend's tongue, when Degel was licking his lover lip, the next moment sucking it gently, and then licking again. An overwhelming heat exploded inside his body the same moment when that agile part of Degel's body broke into his mouth with desire. A slight, muffled moan filled the bedroom while their tongues were touching themselves, dancing, licking and raging together. The next moment Aquarius' hand slid off out of his blue curls and with the graceful movement slipped into his pants.

Kardia broke their kiss quickly. He saw blushes on Degel's cheeks, and lust inside the violet eyes.

"Degel, stop. Your heart is still too weak for something like that."

The Aquarius blinked a few times, confused a little.

"Are you rejecting me?" he asked with a surprise in his voice.

"I had to. You are too weak for now. We just can't do that. You may die."

Degel took a few deep breaths, stroking the blue curls of his friend. When he calmed down a little he tried to kiss him once again, but Kardia didn't allow him to do that.

"Don't, Degel. Don't kiss me right now, because I won't be able to hold myself."

"Oh… No problem. Sorry."

They were lying in silence for a while, feeling like the heat was disappearing slowly from their bodies.

"Degel…?"

"Hmmm…?"

"You can kiss me now." Kardia raised his head, and looked at his friend. "But just one more time. And then, go sleep. You should rest."

Degel smiled and kissed him. He was kissing him long, passionately and deeply. With love.

The End