Title: A Forbidden Taste - Chapter 1

Author: Lune Kuruta

Fandom: Saint Seiya - The Lost Canvas

Rating: PG-13

Word Count: 3258 (this chapter)

Characters/Pairings: Leo Regulus, Sagittarius Sisyphus, Sasha (Athena). Mentions of Capricorn El Cid.

Genres: Drama, yaoi.

Summary: It was wrong. It was dirty. It was forbidden. But Regulus couldn't fight against such a powerful feeling.

Warnings: Mentions of incest (unrequited). Author chooses not to warn for anything else.

Disclaimer: "Saint Seiya - The Lost Canvas" belongs to Shiori Teshirogi and Masami Kurumada. All rights reserved.

Notes: Story written for the Secret Coconut, a fic exchange promoted by the community Saint Seiya Super Fics Journal (chapter originally published on September 19, 2014).

* This fic is set right before the beginning of the "The Lost Canvas" series (before the Holy War on 1743).

* Revised by Vane. Thank you very much! :3

I

Regulus was not sure when that strange feeling first came up.

He was not the best on that matter of feelings. Growing up mostly apart from civilization could be a reason, but since Regulus moved to the Sanctuary, things should have become easier. He was not as aloof as he used to be, but something about how he felt was… wrong.

First, there was that unfamiliarity when Sisyphus brought him to the Sanctuary. Regulus was too naive and had some difficulties in viewing that man as trustworthy at the time. Actually, he wasn't used to being so close to another person since his father's death, but Sisyphus was always encouraging him to build bonds with his colleagues, while trying to strenghthen ties between them as well. Little by little, he overcame that distrust, and soon he finally started viewing Sisyphus as someone who liked and cared about him.

As Regulus learned to trust him, he was finally able to see Sisyphus under a brighter light. The Sagittarian was a devoted Saint, a dedicated teacher, and a zealous uncle. He was patient even when Leo daydreamed during his lessions, as he was not the most focused pupil in the world. Sisyphus was really a special person.

Sometimes, Regulus caught himself gazing at him. He always had a determined, yet serene look, and a lordly posture which showed, at least partially, how respectable he was. Regulus didn't know much about analyzing others' feelings, and sometimes wondered why Sisyphus' smile seemed so different from the others'. He didn't know what lay behind those smiles, but that unknown thing made that expression unique to him.

Sisyphus was unique.

Still, there was nothing wrong about admiring Sisyphus. He was not the only one, for sure. At least in the beginning. However, Regulus felt, deep inside, that his admiration for his uncle was going too far. That serene sensation was replaced by something more visceral.

Maybe since that night...

000

He had a warm, slightly dry skin. His hands were calloused, but his touch was gentle.

"Hey… Good job today, Regulus!"

He wore nothing but his pants, and his well-built torso was sweaty.

"I did my best, you know…"

"Yes, I know."

Regulus felt the strong yet tender arms wrapping around him, and their bodies met. Not only Sisyphus' hands, but his whole body irradiated warmth. Regulus shuddered.

"And you deserve a nice reward. What do you want from me?"

"What do you mean?"

"I will give you anything you want. If you want a hug, I'll give you that. If you want more than that, all you need to do is ask."

"Anything…?"

"Sure. Because I love you, and I want you to be happy. I want to make you happy..."

"But-"

"Shhh… That's okay… I'm here..."

His lips parted slowly, and Regulus stared at them, fascinated. They were getting closer… and closer… and Regulus couldn't help closing his eyes, an unprecedented languor dominating him...

Few minutes later, Regulus woke up covered in sweat and with an unknown, pleasant yet tense, sensation in his nether parts. And, for some reason, Regulus intuited by that time that his strange dream should only belong to the depths of his own mind. There was something wrong, or dirty, about that dream, and no one should ever find out about that.

Especially Sisyphus.

But that dream Regulus tried to bury under his darkest memories kept rising to the surface of his conscience over and over again.

000

That dream had been perhaps a trigger to something that Regulus was silently fostering inside himself and was not aware of, or maybe a corruption of the admiration he had always had toward his uncle. But the fact was that things had changed since then.

Regulus tried to better observe his own feelings, especially in the presence of Sisyphus, and that was not easy for him. If only his heart was as easy to read as the opponents' moves!... His usual spontaneity almost disappeared, as he was afraid of betraying his secret thoughts somehow. But he simply couldn't help acting in a different manner, even though he felt guilty for that.

It was like an addiction to a guilty pleasure that announced itself during the day and reached its climax during his lonely nights. He felt bad for involving Sisyphus in that situation, but it was stronger than him.

There were two different voices fighting in his head. One of them would tell him that he shouldn't have that kind of desire for his own uncle, and he should be ashamed of that.

What would your uncle think of it? Calm down! He's been your teacher for all these years, he is your uncle! Besides, he is a fully grown-up man, an experienced Gold Saint. You're just a boy with dirty thoughts...

But the other voice, soft as a snake sliding down his confused thoughts and slowly embracing his mind, would only whisper back:

But it feels good, doesn't it?

And it definitely did.

000

At the coliseum, Regulus was doing his best in the trainings, even though he had just returned from a hard mission miles away. Keeping himself active helped him avoid dealing with his secret - and forbidden - desire.

Even though he had become a Gold Saint by now, his colleagues would still watch his training in astonishment, and wondered if he would ever reach a limit to such amazing abilities. Regulus was not happy with being a prodigy, or to be complimented by random people. He wanted to show Sisyphus all his value. He wanted to deserve all those unique proud smiles that Sisyphus sometimes gave him.

He wanted to be the only one receiving those lovely smiles.

"I did it! Look at this, Sisyphus!"

Look at me, Sisyphus!

"How can you still surprise me this way?" Sisyphus was amazed. "Regulus, how can you learn these moves by only watching them?"

But Regulus wasn't listening. He only stared at those lips, at that smile. What a reward! He spotted a single bead of sweat sinuously streaming down the face of the Sagittarian, reaching his neck and going down through his body.

"Regulus? Are you listening?"

"Eh… Sorry."

"Not that I'm not used to it," Sisyphus sighed. "You must try to keep your concentration not only when watching fights, you know. You're a Gold Saint and must be focused all the time. There is a Holy War coming up."

"I… I know."

"That's okay. What do you say about a fight with me? Your power is amazing, but your physical abilities are also important!"

"Umm… Okay…"

Regulus was somewhat worried about his own behavior. Since he started developing that feeling for Sisyphus, he hadn't had that level of physical contact with him. What if he couldn't restrain himself? What if Sisyphus found his secret out?

"Why are you hesitating?" Sisyphus interrupted Regulus' thoughts, obviously worried about his nephew's unusual behavior.

"Nothing, I just-"

"Good morning."

When Regulus heard that gentle voice, he could almost guess what was going to happen. Sisyphus turned his eyes to the other person.

Their Goddess.

"L-Lady Athena." Sisyphus bowed down to her. She was accompanied by Pope Sage.

"You don't need to be this formal, Sisyphus." Sasha smiled at him. "Good morning, Regulus. Am I interrupting you two?"

Yes, you are!

"Not at all." Regulus' voice suffocated the ill-mannered-and sincere-answer in his head.

"Oh, I am relieved to hear that. I am just walking by a little, breathing some fresh air, and wanted to come here and see how you were doing."

"I'm glad that you're safe and happy today, Lady Athena."

Regulus stared at Sisyphus as he talked to the young girl, an uncomfortable sensation rising from the bottom of his stomach. He was aware of Sisyphus' devotion to Athena, but that expression was starting to disturb him. His uncle's eyes shone as they wouldn't shine for anything-or anyone-else.

And his voice... Sisyphus' voice was tender, delicate. Regulus knew that they should devote their lives to Athena, but he didn't like the way Sisyphus used to do that. It was frustating to know that he would never receive such affection from his uncle.

And there was the Capricorn Saint. El Cid didn't receive those affectionate looks as well, but Regulus knew that he shared a different kind of bond with Sisyphus. Sometimes, he spotted the two friends exchanging glances while training in the arena. Those gazes were not as sweet as those Sisyphus used to cast toward Sasha, but they seemed to encode a secret message.

Not that secret, though. In those occasions, Regulus could always sense Sisyphus' cosmos coming from the Tenth Temple-Capricorn-at night.

All night long.

Regulus knew that he couldn't keep nurturing that kind of feeling for his uncle, but it was unavoidable. Sisyphus liked him for sure. However, Regulus was not at the same level of El Cid or Athena, obviously. He didn't share that kind of bond, neither that devotion. And this was frustrating.

Was he jealous? Was that the word…?

"Regulus? Are you all right?"

Sasha's sweet voice interrupted his thoughts, and Regulus blinked confused. "I'm fine…"

"I think you should rest a little." Sasha looked concerned about him. "Maybe you're pushing too hard…"

"I'm fine," Regulus repeated somewhat irritated. When Sisyphus narrowed his eyes, Regulus noticed that his tone had been a bit disrespectful and added, "But thank you for your concern."

"Regulus may be a bit absent-minded sometimes, milady," Sisyphus said.

"Anyway, you've just come back from a mission. Rest a little. I must go now. Have a nice day!" Sasha smiled at them and left, escorted by the Pope.

Once alone with his uncle, Regulus avoided his gaze.

"What's wrong with you today?" Sisyphus' tone wasn't as rigid as Leo expected, but rather worried. "Athena is right. Maybe you've pushed too hard from the beginning… What about studying today?"

"What? No, no, I don't-"

"You're a Gold Saint now, but we must keep always learning." Sisyphus wouldn't admit any argument from Regulus. "Go, I'll stop by your temple later, right?"

Regulus sighed. At least he could keep his daydreaming only in his mind while staring at those boring lines. No physical contact. No getting betrayed by his own feelings.

When Regulus was leaving the arena, he saw Sisyphus approach El Cid, and something simply cut through all his conscience's barriers and roared from the depths of his mind. Even though he admitted that his thoughts were totally unappropriate, even though he knew that Sisyphus didn't-and would never-belong to him, Regulus felt like he had been robbed.

Amidst his sudden anger, that silky voice in his mind tried to calm him down:

Not tonight.

000

"Sisyphus?"

The Sagittarian fulfilled his promise, going to the Leo Temple in order to check in on Regulus. He was about to leave when Regulus called him back. "Yes?"

"Would you sleep with me tonight?"

Regulus tried not to blush when Sisyphus stared confused at him. That was an unusual request, for sure, and Regulus was afraid of sounding too childish. But he did his best not to avoid his uncle's eyes.

"Is there any problem?" Sisyphus seemed worried about his nephew. "Are you feeling ill or something?"

"No, I just… I would like you to stay, is all."

Sisyphus looked at him for a while. A thunder echoed through the temple, announcing a storm.

"Are you afraid of the storm?" Sisyphus was surprised. "You? I mean, that's not very usual..."

"Will you stay?"

"I'm sorry, Regulus. I need to go to my temple, and tonight-"

"You're going to spend the night with El Cid, aren't you?"

Sagittarius blinked, bewildered. "How do you… I mean, what are you talking about?"

"I can sense your cosmo coming from there sometimes. So, are you going to meet him? That's why you can't stay with me?" Regulus tried not to look too frustrated or hurt, but his voice betrayed him.

"Don't get me wrong, Regulus. This is an adult matter."

"Why? I'm a Gold Saint, now. I'm a man! Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I do, but-"

"So, why would I be a worse company? Why can't you do with me what you do with El Cid?" His glance was defiant, but his whole body was tense. Their conversation was going down a dangerous path.

"I'm sorry, Regulus, but you don't understand-"

"Show me, then! Show me why he is so important to you that you don't mind spending the night with him, but not with me!" Regulus was tense, angry and a bit desperate. Did Sisyphus really see him as a child? Did he really prefer El Cid?

"I can't, Regulus… This is complicated..."

"It shouldn't be!"

Silence.

"Will you really meet him tonight? Well, you should hurry then. It's raining." After their brief argument, Regulus' voice sounded suddenly helpless.

Sisyphus sighed and put a hand on his shoulder. His voice grew kinder. "No, I won't. I just can't let you here on your own when it's obvious that you're not okay. I'm staying here with you tonight. He'll understand."

For a moment, Regulus felt guilty for changing Sisyphus' plans for that night, and for such a selfish - and disturbing - reason. But the soothing smile in front of him just threw his doubts away.

000

Regulus couldn't sleep.

He coudn't let Sisyphus sleep on the floor, and had suggested that they shared his small bed. That was a huge mistake, since he couldn't stop looking at him.

Sisyphus was so sweet. He breathed softly, and didn't move at all. He must have been tired that day. His serene face was a perfect fit for the admirable soul behind it.

Regulus caressed his hair gently. He wasn't used to that kind of gesture, but it was irresistible. He was overjoyed to see Sisyphus smile during sleep in response to that touch.

His fingers gently slided down his face, feeling the shapes and textures. Sisyphus sighed and Regulus withdrew his hand. It was dangerous, but exciting as well. At least for a few hours, Sisyphus was his.

His heart beat wildly, chills running through his body, as he looked at those lips. He dreamed of them for so many nights!... How would they taste like?

Where was that responsible voice in his mind telling him that he shoudn't get closer? He couldn't hear it anymore, as his body moved practically on its own. It felt almost like an animal instinct. Nothing else - guilty, fear, sorrow - existed beyond those tender lips. Nobody was watching that. Nobody would reprimand him for that. He couldn't miss that unique opportunity.

Few centimeters separated Regulus from what he wanted. A guilty pleasure, a guilty desire. Only a single kiss, and then he would try to repress that disturbing sinby living only with that one sweet memory. Maybe his obsession would subdue a little, and Sisyphus would never need to know about that.

A thunder boomed nearby, and everything happened within a single heartbeat.

Sisyphus' eyes opened all of a sudden. Regulus held his breath, jumping away toward the wall.

"What's happening, Regulus?" Sisyphus stared at him.

Did he notice anything? He didn't seem to. However, he sounded clearly suspicious, as Leo stood breathless.

"N-nothing…"

"You're obviously nervous. What happened? Are you scared of the storm? Regulus, that was just a thunder. You're the Leo Saint, you don't need to be afraid of thunders."

Regulus blushed. He probably looked ridiculous, but he couldn't come up with an excuse for his behavior. He felt like a cornered animal. He avoided Sisyphus' eyes. "I just got a fright, just that."

He could sense Sisyphus' gaze on him, and tried not to look back at him. At least, his uncle didn't seem to notice his attempt to kiss him.

"I think that you want to tell me something but you're too ashamed to do that. Am I right?"

That soft tone surprised Leo, who turned his eyes to him. Sisyphus smiled serenely at his nephew.

"Don't be afraid of showing me your feelings. I promised you that I would protect you, take care of you. You're an amazing Gold Saint, but I know that you still need me. You don't need to be ashamed of that."

"Sisyphus…"

"Tell me, Regulus. I want to help you."

Regulus gulped, clenching his hands to stop them from shaking. "I… I think…"

"Go ahead!"

"I think I love you."

He closed his eyes for a while, involuntarily, as if waiting for an imaginary punch. Or maybe a real one.

Since nothing happened, Regulus opened his eyes again, confused, and what he saw surprised him even more.

Sisyphus was smiling.

"I'm flattered, Regulus."

That gentle smile… What was actually happening? Sisyphus looked happy! But it was wrong, wasn't it?

"... Are you?"

"I thought I would never have the opportunity to say this, because… to be honest, I was afraid of failing as your teacher and spoiling you too much. But I was wrong. I should have said this right from the start. I love you too, Regulus."

Regulus widened his eyes, shocked. Was that a dream? Not only Sisyphus was happy, but he also loved him back?

"You… do you?"

"Of course I do."

Regulus sighed fascinated as those lips came in his direction. He closed his eyes, feeling butterflies in his stomach. They were both awake. They both wanted that kiss.

The gentle touch in his forehead made him shudder.

"What-"

"You're my beloved nephew. Maybe I tried too hard to be a good teacher and forgot my promise to take care of you, supporting you as your only family. You don't need to be afraid of your feelings for me, Regulus. You can always count on me."

No… Please, don't say that!

That was not what Regulus was expecting. Not at all. "That's not-"

"You were jealous because I've been spending too much time with El Cid and you were alone. I am so sorry about that! I didn't notice that you needed me. You don't have to hold down your heart, Regulus. Love is a beautiful feeling!"

You're getting it all wrong! Please stop it!

"Sometimes, I wish I could be as good to you as my brother was," Sisyphus confessed. "I wanted you to be proud of me as well. To be a guide, to be trusted by you. But maybe I've been a bit overprotective."

"But you're not my father!" Regulus couldn't restrain his anger. "You don't have to replace him! You will never replace him, Sisyphus, and I don't want you to! Listen-"

"I know that I'll never be like your father, Regulus," Sisyphus added gently. "I am aware of that. I just want you to like me as Sisyphus. As your teacher, your colleague, your friend, your uncle! And I'm glad that you have feelings for me. I'll do my best to deserve them."

"But I-"

Regulus' voice broke in a sob, and Sisyphus immediately held him tight. "I'm here for you. Don't you ever forget that, right?"

Regulus tightened the embrace, burying his face into Sisyphus' torso, sensing his heartbeats. His heart was as serene as its owner. He was warm and tender, and his hands went up and down Regulus' back, trying to comfort him.

"Shhh… Let's sleep..."

Unrestrained tears fell down Regulus' face. Deep inside, he knew that he couldn't hope for anything. He knew that it was wrong right from the start. But that bittersweet taste felt even more painful that he'd expected.

Closer than ever. Farther than ever.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Additional notes:

Hi, everybody. This is my gift for Boolafaz!

Hi, Boolafaz! To be honest, I wasn't planning to write this prompt right from the start (when I saw it in the Secret Coconut masterlist), but I decided to try it when I received your prompt list. I hope that my portrayal of these characters isn't too OOC x.x I've never written about Regulus before (and I've written about Sisyphus only once), so I'm not 100% sure that I got their tone right. Maybe Regulus is a bit more "thoughtful" than usual, but I hope that it wasn't too much.

I considered letting Regulus suffer in silence for a while, since he's not too experienced in matters of feelings (in my view, at least), but then that scene in his temple just popped up in my mind (I hope that it was not too cliché x.x). He's a bit impulsive, so maybe he couldn't hold his secret for too long. He may have acted a little childish as well, and I'm sorry for that. I tried to depict him as someone who wasn't used to deal with that kind of feeling. Also… well, he's a teenager, after all. XD

By the way, I was undecided whether to depict his feelings as only an innocent admiration for his uncle or get a bit more carnal about it. After receiving your answers to my questions, I decided to "color" this admiration with a bit of hormones (XD) and that "sauce" of the forbidden.

I tried to include some of your headcanons involving Sisyphus as well. I couldn't explore them more in depth, since Regulus' POV might not allow that, but at least as a background. I hope that I got them right. x.x

About Sisyphus' reaction… well, I'll discuss that further in the notes of the second chapter. ;-)

I truly hope that I didn't frustrate your expectations for the prompt. x.x Since I'm not too experienced at writing in English, maybe I haven't conveyed all the ideas in my head correctly. Well, let's keep trying!

I also would like to thank Vane and Anita (as always XD) for all their support!

See you in the next chapter!

Kissus,

Lune Kuruta

NOTE: The next chapter will be published here tomorrow. Thanks for reading! (July 10th, 2015)