La vie est belle (in english)

Get away from me

Albafica felt alone. It wasn't new to him, but that didn't mean he liked it. It was his birthday, and yet no one had remembered: that was the extent to which he ran away from others.

He supposed that, like so many years before, his only company would be the imperial devil roses. They had never seemed beautiful to him, but quite the opposite. To him they were more horrible than poisonous herbs precisely because they didn't seem to be dangerous. He had forbidden everyone access to the garden, something that had been respected until now, but not for long.

-   Hello Alba, how are you? 

-   Manigoldo, what are you doing here? You know you can't come in.

Albafica's gaze, a sad dark blue tone, is lost as scattered as a deep calm sea.

-   Of course I can Alba, at my own risk, but of course I can. Go away. 

-   The imperial devil roses contain a deadly poison. Not even you will be able to survive for long.

-    Then I will be brief. I know it's your birthday today, so I came to bring you a present. A present?

Albafica is puzzled. It's been so long since he received a present that he can't remember what the last one was or if he ever got one.

-   Yes. Here.

Manigoldo hands him a simple white box, decorated with delicate floral paintings. When he opens it, he can see a beautiful rose made of silver, which has been painted in detail with great care. It's very beautiful.

-   I don't understand. What is this? 

-   Do you want me to show you? 

-   Yes.

Very carefully, Cancer's Gold Saint took out the pretty ornament and tried to pin it in Albafica's hair.

-   What are you doing? You could die if you touch me!

-    I'll do it quickly. Look, that's it. 

-   I appreciate it, but now you must go.

Albafica looked beautiful. The brooch matched the tone of his hair perfectly, holding it casually above his ear. Manigoldo would have gladly told him if he hadn't known that it was the worst thing that could be said to the Knight of Pisces.

-   Well, goodbye Alba. 

-   Goodbye.

Manigoldo slowly leaves. For now he doesn't seem affected by the poison of the roses, but that is a relative state. He could feel sick at any moment.

Albafica was curious. It was the first time that someone had stayed more than ten minutes in his poisoned garden without suffering the consequences. He had never seen anything like it. Also, he had to admit that his new brooch looked very nice on her. That small gesture of kindness managed to brighten up the day's challenge, even if it came from Manigoldo. It had been so long since he felt happy that he couldn't remember if he had ever been.

"Thank you Manigoldo" he murmured to himself, hoping that he wouldn't hear it.

Manigoldo couldn't forget the silky touch of Albafica's hair. It was such a special feeling... He had waited his whole life to be able to even touch a single hair of her hair, undergoing a hard training that had many times threatened to end his life. But that no longer mattered, it had been worth it. Maybe it was the first and last time he could do it, but he would always remember how he felt the first time he could have "physical contact" with the Most Beautiful Man in the Sanctuary. If only he could tell him half of what he felt... But it was better this way. At least, he was his friend, or so he thought. For now, he would settle for that.

Albafica felt strange. He didn't know what happiness was, nor had he ever felt anything other than loneliness before, but now, remembering the touch of Manigoldo's hands, firm as rocks and with the strength of a coconut crab's claws, he could feel a warm sensation of heat deep in his chest, as if he had somehow liked it.

He didn't understand it. Anyway, the whole thing was pointless, because because of his poisoned blood he couldn't touch any living being, regardless of race.

Still... Manigoldo was the closest thing he'd ever had to a friend, so he was afraid of losing him. He kept him away from him not because he disliked him, but because he was so fond of him that he didn't want to hurt him. He didn't do it intentionally, but in a way, his way of loving people was to keep them away from him.