Disclaimer: Nope. Saint Seiya isn't mine, unfortunately. Which is probably why Shura has to angst so much.

Notes: This is another of my short fics about random stuff I think up. Sort of like Bitter Remedy, or You Are My Reason To Be, or Always Our Goddess. This one specifically is on Shura and his relationship with Aiolia. There is a scene in Hades Sanctuary where Aiolia is carrying Shura to Athena, and Shura tries to apologize but Aiolia wants none of it. That scene always makes me want to cry. Shura's actually quite strong...if I had to do what he did, I know I'd probably die.

Anyway, this fic is dedicated to Naotoki Yamanouchi, who (besides being an awesome nee-san) inspired Siempre. It is also dedicated to Soul of Emerald, who has said in multiple reviews of my series Perspectives, that she (or he, I don't know) really likes Shura.

The song lyrics at the end are from an Andrew Lloyd Webber song that Sarah Brightman and Jose Carreras sang at the opening of the Olympic Games in Barcelona. It's called "Amigos Para Siempre," or Friends For Life. It's Spanish, which I thought would fit our little Spanish Capricorn very well.

Lastly, I have a "noticia" (while I'm in Spanish mode) for everyone who likes reading my stuff. Shiryuu's Dream is soon going to become a series. I have in mind some shorts I want to do for Hyoga and Ikki, and decided there's no sense in creating a new story for all of them. So look out for that when I post it!! Enjoy!!

Siempre

"Shura?" said Aiolos with an angelic smile.

"What do you want?" the ten-year-old Capricorn answered, knowing that Aiolos's smile meant trouble.

"Could you baby-sit Aiolia for a couple hours? Saga and I are going to train." Shura looked frightened.

"Aiolia? But—"

"Pleeease!" begged Aiolos, giving Shura the saintly pleading look he usually used on the Gold Saints' masters. The Capricorn rolled his eyes as he yielded. It was impossible not to.

"All right, Aiolos. But only for two hours." Aiolos brightened.

"Thank you, Shura! I know I can trust you with Aiolia." Shura half-smiled to himself, wondering exactly how Aiolos managed to make everyone feel good about doing him favors. But then, Shura reflected, Aiolos always managed to make everyone feel good anyway.

"Have…um…fun?" Shura called after Aiolos, who turned and grinned, but sobered suddenly.

"Shu?" Aiolos shouted back into the Leo temple. "If anything happens to me, if I get hurt or anything, make sure you take care of Aio."

"I will," Shura replied with a nod, "I promise." And suddenly Aiolos was back to his cheerful self.

"Well, I'm going to go now."

"Don't kill each other," Shura called. Aiolos grinned as he ran down the path.

Shortly after Aiolos left, Aiolia woke up from his nap. "Ai'los!" he shouted, scampering up from bed and dashing towards the back entrance. Shura ran over and caught up with him.

"Whoa there, little lion," the Capricorn said as he held a squirming Aiolia in place, "Aiolos went to train. He's not in his temple. I'm going to look after you for a few hours until he gets back, all right?" Aiolia mulled this over for a few seconds before suddenly brightening.

"So…does that mean you're going to play with me, ani?" Before Shura could answer, Aiolia was already bouncing back into the Leo temple. "Let's play tag!" shouted the younger boy as he disappeared from view. "You're it!" Shura sighed and followed his charge to the depths of the temple. It was going to be a rough afternoon.

Approximately fifteen minutes later, Shura collapsed in the center of the Leo temple. He was a Gold Saint, but Aiolia could probably run even Shaka ragged. After all, he consistently exhausted Saga and Aiolos, and they were two of the strongest Saints in Sanctuary. "Aio…" panted Shura, "…you…win…" Pant, pant. "All…right…?" Pant, pant. Aiolia's head popped out from behind a pillar. "Can…we…do…something…not…active…?" Pant, pant, pant.

"I'm sorry, ani. We can do something else now." Aiolia gave Shura a remorseful look that rendered the Capricorn incapable of being angry with his charge.

"What do you want to do?" he asked Aiolia, who shrugged, ruminated, and brightened again.

"Why don't we sit down?" said Aiolia, dragging Shura over to a soft chair. The younger boy knelt beside him and stared up innocently into Shura's eyes. "Have you ever gotten drunk before?" he demanded of Shura, who nearly choked.

"Did you just ask me…?" Aiolia nodded brightly.

"Ai'los says people are crazy when they're drunk. Have you ever been drunk?" Shura thought over how to answer.

"Well…I'm kind of young to be drinking…"

"Then, what about Aiolos? Or Saga-san? They're older than you, right?"

"Uh…I wouldn't know about them. You'll have to ask them yourself."

"Oh," replied Aiolia. His brow wrinkled as he thought it through. "Do you like anyone, ani?" he demanded again.

"I like a lot of people, Aio. Aiolos, Saga, you—"

"No," interrupted Aiolia, "I meant, do you like anyone?" Shura found himself wondering where Aiolia got all this.

"Aio, I'm ten."

"So?" Shura sighed.

"No, Aio, I don't. And I doubt I will for a few more years, at least."

"Then…does Aiolos like anyone?"

"I doubt it. It's kind of part of being a Saint. Not many of us have the time and effort to have more to our lives than fighting and training, and training and fighting."

"Do you think anyone will ever like me when I grow up?" Shura grinned.

"I'm sure you'll have lots of girls who want to get close to you. When you're older."

"Will I get to be a Saint, d'you think?"

Seriously, Shura said to himself, does he ever stop? Out loud, though, the Capricorn Saint replied, "I'm sure you will, Aio. Your brother is one of the strongest Saints in Sanctuary. I'm sure you'll make it too."

"I'm going to be strong like you are, ani."

"Me?" Shura demanded before he could stop himself. Aiolia nodded.

"Mm-hmm. You're always the one who gets stuck doing what no one else wants to do, and you never whine about it. Ai'los says I whine too much." Shura smiled. "So I want to be like you, ani, and grow up to be a strong person."

"Well…" Shura couldn't think of anything to say.

"Tell me a story, ani?" Shura was beginning to wonder if Aiolia had attention deficiencies. Probably, the Capricorn Saint decided. And so, Shura, Gold Saint of Capricorn, set Aiolia in his lap and began to tell a story about pirates, adventure, swordfights, and treasure.

"…and the pirate king said, 'Aargh! Prepare to board!'"

"And then?" murmured Aiolia sleepily.

"And then the pirates boarded the navy ship and fought with the sailors on board."

"And…then…?"

"They fought for hours upon hours, until finally, the captain of the ship stepped forward and engaged the pirate king in a duel." Shura waited. No sound came from the younger boy. Aiolia was asleep. Shura smiled, watching his "little brother", who looked positively angelic while sleeping. Even when Aiolia was awake and active, however, Shura still loved him. He was proud to have Aiolia call him ani, and he would have protected Aiolia even if Aiolos had not asked.

And that's how it will always be, thought Shura to himself, Nothing will ever come between us. Ever.

--

I feel you near me even when we are apart,

Just knowing you are in this world can warm my heart

Friends for life, not just a summer or a spring.

Amigos Para Siempre.