A/N: Seirios is the Greek name for Sirius, the brightest star of the constellation Canis Major.

~*~*~

When Seirios had woken, he had been alone. For a heartbeat irrational panic had washed over him, but it had passed as soon as he had noticed that the ball of sturdy yarn next to the entrance was gone. Chares must have gone out while he was still asleep.

Since the boy – he couldn't really be called a man yet at less than fourteen years of age – could not see, he never wandered far without this lifeline to guide him back to the cave they both called their home now.

Quickly he washed his face, smoothed over the worst wrinkles in his tunic and gave an absent-minded pet to the serpents that made up his hair to calm them down. They had also grown attached to Chares over these months and didn't like it when he was not around.

The sunlight outside was almost blinding, even filtered through the thick foliage that covered this part of the forest. Seirios smiled. Another day when the curse he had inherited while still in his mother's womb had not claimed his life yet.

She had never told him why, but he knew that a powerful priestess had cast the "Medusa's curse" on her a long time ago. Everybody who had looked her into eyes had turned to stone. The various statues in the woods were a testament to that power and all the "heroes" who had sought to slay the monster.

The sole exception had been the baby she had carried in her belly when she had been cursed. The baby who had been born just like her. The baby she had named after one of the brightest stars in the night sky and whom she had always called her shining light.

And when he had been still a child, she had also turned to stone. Circumstances? The passage of time? He didn't know.

He shook off the melancholy thoughts of the past. Every day was a precious treasure. After all, he had also found his "shining light" to keep the darkness at bay.

~*~*~

Chares blew on his hands and rubbed them together to warm them a little before dipping his fingers into the cold stream again. He could still catch at least one more fish before heading back. It was slow and took a lot of patience, but he could catch fish without his eyes. There were a lot of things he could do without his eyes nowadays.

He had not always been blind. He had lost his sight when the barn he had been taking a morning nap in had caught fire. He had survived since his father had rescued him at last minute, but he had been practically useless to his family after. And they had lost all their livestock and most of the stored crops too.

They hadn't needed another mouth to feed.

So he had left in the middle of the night. Only his older brother had known of his plan, as he would have never gotten away unnoticed on his own. He had also assured him that once he made it to the city, rich people would give him some money out of pity or some temple would take him in.

He hadn't actually made it that far. He had gotten lost in the first forest he had tried to cross. When he had encountered Seirios for the first time, he had thought him another strange statue except for the warmth of his skin. That was such a vivid memory. He had been close to freezing, so that warmth had lured him in like moths are drawn to candlelight. Even the sound of snakes hissing in warning had not been enough to drive him away.

He grabbed his walking staff from the ground as he heard footsteps. "Who's there?!"

"Who else could it be?" Seirios replied. He was probably smiling. His voice always sounded different then. Lighter.

"I can't tell if it's some beast that wants to eat me," Chares reminded him. Then he smiled too. "Good morning!"

"Good morning," Seirios echoed his words and pulled him to a hug. He didn't move as Chares's hand traced up his disfigured face and to greet also the snakes. One of the serpents nipped gently, affectionately, at his fingers. "I was worried when you weren't home."

Chares just nodded in response and buried his face in the medusa's chest. He was aware that other people would call his new companion a monster, but Seirios had always been kind to him. Even though he worried every time Chares went outside on his own, he didn't want to shut him in for his own safety. Nor did he get angry when he accidentally knocked over or broke something.

If Seirios had asked to marry him, he would have agreed in an instant. He hadn't, though. Chares kind of hoped it was only because he'd never had any contact with society and didn't know the customs.

When he grew a little older and stronger,learned better to provide for himself despite this handicap...he'd definitely askif Seirios wouldn't.