Work Text:
There had been darkness for too long. It was impossible to tell how long, but it felt like it would never end. However, it seemed like even the eternal torment of death wasn't so permanent after all, given how his eyes managed to open without him even expecting it.
Blinking away the blurriness, he looked down at his hands, at his feet. Still very much human. It wasn't the same body - thankfully, he didn't want to be associated with anything of the past. But he was not....he was not a toddler. How could he have woken up as an adult?
Supernatural means to bring him back? Or could it be that he had been living as a different person this entire time and his past conscience woke up in his body just now? Similar to a Specter?
"Aeras. I see you've woken up." A voice pierced through the unfamiliar environment as he sat up, rubbing his forehead. A room....some sort of simplistic white room without much furniture. How long had he been there?
"My name. You know my name."
Worst of all, it was the same name he had back then. There were still more questions than answers, and he was going to ask them soon enough, but he was still wary considering that the man's face couldn't even be seen. Hooded and masked. Similar to a figure of the past--but no, it couldn't be.
"Of course I do. I've chosen you myself. You're going to be one of my most valuable assets from now on."
"An asset? What for?!" He didn't seem too pleased by that turn of events. But did he even have a choice? Having no memories of his life up until that point, his mind was full of darkness, the only things he remembered had to do with his past life. And that wasn't pleasant to think about either. The things he had done....so many regrets.
"You'll know soon. Here's a map of the facilities." Something fell onto his lap, some sort of tablet with the aforementioned map. "Meet me when you're ready."
If it depended on his will alone, he would never be ready. But he also wanted to find out just what the hell was going on because the feeling of disorientation and not knowing anything wasn't too pleasant. So he followed the directions, noting that he would certainly have gotten lost if it wasn't for that map. Things had changed so much from when he was left alive. Technology, customs, even the way people dressed. But it all seemed so natural to him that he wondered if this had anything to do with the life he had lived up until now, if any.
When he arrived, he was faced with many other people, faces that might or might not have looked familiar and faces that definitely didn't - some of them covered, making him unable to tell. And that leader in front of them, it was the same person who had talked to him before. Could it be?
Once everyone was present, the meeting had finally started.
"You might be wondering why I gathered you all here." The mysterious man spoke, and Aeras paid close attention, not wanting to miss a single detail.
His eyes gradually widened and his heart tightened inside his chest as he finally started to learn the truth about his situation. It wasn't just him. Everyone present there had once been a saint or affiliated with Sanctuary in some way - before they died in their past lives. They were all reincarnations, which was something natural to happen. The only problem was that none of them were supposed to remember what had happened before. They really were supposed to live normal lives from now on, but now this wasn't going to happen.
Their memories had been forcefully recovered by some sort of technology he couldn't quite understand. Purposefully, for the sake of making them suffer and knowing that they had no choice but to follow this new fate that had been forced upon them.
Aeras had been a Sagittarius gold saint. He had been controlled once. And he didn't want to go through it again. He couldn't do this again. But what other choice did he have on the matter? Not having his Cloth, not knowing how he should live from now on, or how to escape. There was nothing he could do - all that was left was for him to do the best that he could, ascend in the ranks and hopefully get somewhere meaningful.
The first missions had been simple enough. Money laundering, intimidation of targets, small thefts. All the things he had never wanted to do but was now being forced to, because he had no other purpose in life other than serving that person, and he wasn't sure of what could happen to him if he decided to leave. Not to mention that he was in debt because it was thanks to the organization that his soul had been brought back somehow.
But when the missions started becoming things such as eliminating targets, he wondered if that had been a good thing for him at all. A traitor twice over, he really wasn't on good terms with fate, it seemed. It was in one of such missions that fate decided to play more tricks on him and test his resolve because this time the target wasn't just any ordinary person.
"Sage..." His voice faltered just as the trader turned to look at him. His long hair, his serene eyes, his soft features, so much softer than his twin's. It was as if nothing changed. But it had, oh, it had. The eyebrows weren't the same, and there was a different air about him. He had been reborn as a regular human. His previous Muvian essence, gone. But this wasn't what he was here for, as his hand clenched about the switchblade inside his pocket. There was a purpose to all of this.
"You know who I am...?" The young trader blinked those beautiful green eyes that Aeras had always loved staring at in the past. Maybe this time he could keep them to himself. The friendship was in the past, this person didn't even remember him. There was no use in getting so caught up in those kinds of details.
"Let's just say we've met before. So, you work with opiates now huh?"
"What do you mean 'now', stranger? I've been in this business for a really long time. If you want a deal, just be straightforward about it." He didn't seem too pleased by the stalling, but neither was Aeras. He usually got his jobs done quickly. It was why he had risen in the ranks, as opposed to the others in the Organization. But now there seemed to be something that was keeping him from just doing it.
"I wouldn't say it's really a deal per se. It's just, you know. Things aren't easy for anyone right now. Let's say I work for your competitors."
"So, what do you want me to do about it? I'm not going to close down my business, stranger."
"Stranger this, stranger that. Call me by my name at least. It's Aeras." He huffed.
"Aeras?!" For the briefest of moments, something seemed to light up in Sage's eyes. As if he had remembered, as if the name sounded familiar. But he didn't say anything else, just sighing instead.
"Yes, Aeras." There was a bit of disappointment at Sage not remembering. So this was the current situation, huh? Completely new lives and he was the only one who could remember. He wondered if Hakurei had been brought back too. If they were still identical twins..."So, you don't plan on closing down, is that right?"
"Of course not." Sage narrowed his eyes, visibly offended at the prospect. "Who do you think you are, to come here and ask me to get rid of my livelihood like that?"
"I will show you who I am." With a heavy heart full of regret from past and present, Aeras attacked the man, ready to finish his mission at last and then never look back, try to forget that all this happened and move on to the next mission, to the only reason for him to be alive.
But, just as he expected blood to pour forth, he got a scuffle instead, unable to make even a single cut on Sage's soft skin. Nobody had ever been able to fight back before, his performance was always astounding until now. Maybe it was because of his conflicted feelings that he couldn't give his all on this, but Sage was holding his wrist tightly and giving him a serious look.
"I see nothing has changed. If we kept this up, we'd get into a 1000-day war."
Aeras gasped, staggering backward, blade clattering to the ground and hands coming up to his own face in shock. Suddenly, all the memories of his life as the Sagittarius saint started flooding into his mind again, leaving him vulnerable for any retaliation that Sage might have wanted to enact. But nothing came. Sage just stared at him for a moment before sighing yet again.
"Y-You....you remember me!" It was more of an accusation than a question, his finger shakily pointing at the trader and his face paling as he thought about the consequences of his actions.
"I didn't until I touched you, and until I heard your name. It's truly unfortunate that we have to end up on opposite sides once more. I admired you back then. Always so loyal and kind. For you to act like this in your new life...I wonder what happened."
Aeras felt like he couldn't breathe. He too wondered what happened, why he would sell himself out so easily, why he had fallen for the spell of that man's words, now having an even clearer idea of who it might have been. Sage's question was left unanswered, but he also had words of his own to give.
"I admired you as well. And your brother, I wonder how he's been...You were twins, but still so different. You always acted like the older brother even when you weren't, you wanted to take care of everyone...I wish that things had ended differently for us."
The trader blushed, having an idea of what those words meant. But in their current situation, even if they had met again it was still impossible, wasn't it?
"My brother is well." Sage coughed, trying to deflect the confession in his embarrassment. "Right now he is on a trip for more negotiations, but we usually work together. I'm glad that we are together in this life, too. As far as I know, he doesn't remember anything yet, But if he's able to, I'm sure he will be happy to hear about you."
Aeras took a deep breath, looking at the abandoned blade and then back at Sage's face. It had to be that man of all people, one of the few who was able to sway his heart so significantly. His heart felt conflicted, but he had to make a decision. If he let this chance slip away, maybe they would never meet again. Maybe it was a good thing that he had gotten his memories back. All of them, of himself and Sage spending good moments as both companions and friends. Aeras truly wished it had been more. And maybe...Sage wished the same.
"I can't do this anymore." Aeras finally admitted, looking around as if the other organization spies would hear him and eliminate him immediately. There was imminent danger in what he wanted to do, and he was fully aware of that. But since he already lived the life of a traitor, what was one more betrayal?
"What are you talking about, Aeras?" Sage asked, not understanding much of the situation but able to perceive the emotions his old friend was going through.
"The organization. It's keeping me hostage--for awakening my soul. That's why I've done all of this. Because I had nothing, I don't know who I was before this, if I have a family or a home. But you know that I hate doing this, it's not in my nature. I'm still a saint at heart, Sage!"
"Please remember that we aren't saints anymore, though. Don't put yourself in danger needlessly."
"It's not needless. I know it will sound strange to you, but meeting you again after all those years. It just made me remember all the feelings I had back then."
"Feelings, you mean--"
Sage was once again giving clear signs of embarrassment. Feelings?! Did Aeras figure out something? Because as much as he didn't want to admit it, he also carried some feelings of his own. But back then they had to stay focused on their respective duties, and couldn't afford to bond too strongly. Considering what happened, it really was for the best. But this situation was different. If Aeras managed to free himself, then they could finally....
"Yes, Sage. I think we both know what I mean. Let's make the best of what we have. I want to take the steps necessary to leave the organization behind and run away, preferably with you. I know it's dangerous, so you have to make sure you know what you're getting into."
Sage seemed at a loss for words for a moment, eyes widening in surprise and mouth slightly agape before his expression relaxed into the usual again and he gave a firm nod, reaching to squeeze Aeras' shoulder.
"Of course! You could say I'm constantly on the run too, and I have plenty of combat experience in this lifetime, so I'll help you in fending off whoever needed."
In an unthinking act, Aeras tugged Sage closer, giving him a tight hug, causing the former Cancer saint to let out a surprised gasp, but eventually relaxing into the hold and reciprocating it, squeezing him tightly. They stayed like that for several minutes, a hug of two friends who hadn't seen each other in many years. Hopefully, in the future, they would no longer be just friends.
"Are you sure you don't mind if I tag along? They'll constantly try to chase me down once they realize what happened. We might not have a moment of peace again so soon."
"I told you I don't mind. Do you think what I'm doing is legal? I'm used to it. There's just one thing I want to ask you though..." Sage pulled back from the hug, giving Aeras such a serious look that it made his heart skip a beat.
"Wh-What is it, Sage?"
"Do you mind if my brother tags along?" Sage's face broke into a teasing grin, earning him a push on the chest from Aeras who laughed, looking visibly relieved.
"Of course not! It will be nice to see Hakurei again!"
It wasn't going to be easy or immediate. They both knew that. Aeras still had to spend a while pretending to be obedient, finding a way to fool the organization into believing that he completed his mission, and then escaping during the next one. Even Sage had to make preparations to close up shop and sell his 'product' somewhere else, where they'd be able to meet Hakurei.
But even with all these trials, and even if there was a long arduous journey ahead, they knew that it would be worth it. Because they were together again.