Sixteen Candles

by masterctarl

ONE SHOT. For his 16th Birthday, the other Bronzes and Saori take Shun bowling. The others are acting a bit strange however, especially Hyouga. With Ikki watching him like a hawk, however, he may never get a chance to find out why. Shonen-ai - Hyouga/Shun, Ikki/Shiryu. Rated for slight language and implied underage sex.

Disclaimer: I don't own Saint Seiya or any of the people, places, or things associated with it. I just write fanfiction. It all belongs to Masami Kurumada. Please don't sue me.

Note: This very distinctly doesn't actually fit in with the canon timeline of Saint Seiya. I also distinctly don't care. There's a point in my writing of Saint Seiya fanfics in which I realized that there's no real way for me to write fanfics in that timeline.

Note 2: This is the second birthday fanfic I've written for Saint Seiya, though this one's way early. Shun's birthday is September 9th, but I wanted to get this posted as soon as I actually finished it. Unlike Best Wishes On Your Birthday, which takes place on Aphrodite's next chronological birthday according to how old official sources say he is, this one takes place on Shun's 16th birthday, three years after the start of the show. Mostly because I just wanted to use the song this fanfic is titled after, Sixteen Candles by The Crests

Warning! This fanfic contains mostly shonen-ai, but at one point some implied (consensual) underage sex. It's nothing graphic, only mentioned, but if you're offended by this then you've been duly warned.

Sixteen Candles

"Shun!"

"Nii-san!"

The Andromeda Saint ran up to his brother, hugging him enthusiastically. Ikki chuckled, marveling over how much the second youngest of the Saints had grown over the last three years. It was his 16th birthday, and unlike the other Saints who continued to grow more masculine over the years, Shun never seemed to change. He was still thin and pretty with a light muscle structure that emphasized his role as a defensive fighter, not often entering hand-to-hand combat. His eyes were still the same large green emeralds, and he refused to cut his hair any shorter than it had always been despite how often Ikki hinted at it. He suspected it was just Shun's way of asserting himself as an individual. A tame attempt at rebellion. Hyouga had trimmed a couple of inches off of his own hair, but he was too stubborn to cut it any shorter. Shiryu meanwhile hadn't really cut his hair… at all, in fact some of the Saints debated whether or not it was even longer than before, but he at least found a way to bind it so it wasn't always in the way.

"Nii-san?" Shun tilted his head to the side, blinking up at his brother.

"What?"

"You're staring at me."

Ikki chuckled again, digging his fingers into that soft, green hair and ruffling it. "Just marveling at how long you'll let this mop get. Honestly, are you trying to compete with Shiryu for 'longest hair a Saint can possibly have'?"

"Nii-san!" his brother whined, ducking away from him and running his fingers through his locks to straighten them out again. He took pride in his hair. Not that he was becoming vain like Aphrodite and Misty, but even he couldn't deny that as he grew older more young men were taking notice of him. He wasn't sure it was normal for so many men to show interest in another of their own gender, especially as he was pretty sure most of them were actually straight. Hyouga jokingly called it the 'Aphrodite Effect,' the ability to be so attractive it transcends sexuality. Ikki had less sense of humor about it, simply calling it an annoyance.

"Come on, birthday boy," the Phoenix Saint looped an arm around Shun's shoulders, leading him down the busy street. "Everyone's waiting for you. We're going bowling. You should have seen how horrified Saori looked when we told her, too. I guess Gods don't bowl."

Shun giggled, letting his brother lead him down the street. It'd been a good day. He and June had gone to the spa (after a lot of insistence on her part) and gotten full treatments. That included facials, manicures (which he insisted upon no colors, as much as June insisted it would be funny), and a massage. The last part was especially good. June wouldn't be joining them, however, as she had business to attend to for Andromeda Island. The place was still mostly recovering since the loss of their teacher, but June was proving a worthy replacement for him. She dared any of her students to take her lightly because she was female. There was one reported incident of a student complaining that they weren't being taught by the Andromeda Saint himself, but that was quickly ended.

The bowling alley was probably the most retro building in the entire city. Neon colors and excited advertising for 'black light nights' took it over, and made it a fun place to celebrate… well, just about anything. Inside, the two brothers got their bowling shoes, neither of which seemed to fit right, and headed down to meet the rest of the party.

"Just remember, the goal is to actually knock down the pins. The gutter isn't where it's supposed to go."

"I know that!" Saori snapped. It seemed Hyouga and Seiya had taken it upon themselves to make sure and explain the very simple game in great detail to her. Whether they actually thought she was that incompetently spoiled or were just teasing her, it was hard to tell. Saori herself was growing well with her new-found Godly powers. She was also determined to learn what it was like to do things 'commoners' did, so told her five Bronzes to drag her wherever they thought she'd have the most memorable experiences no matter how much she objected. So far, she only regretted that order three out of every five times.

"We're just making sure. We don't want to see someone get hit by a bowling ball," Hyouga grinned.

"Yeah, just remember to let go after following through with the swing," Seiya added.

"You guys are so… Shun!" the goddess stood up and greeted the Andromeda Saint by running up and kissing his cheek enthusiastically. She then whispered in his ear, "Help me…"

Shun chuckled. "Sorry, but I think you're on your own with this one," he patted her on the back. He then moved to the others, who greeted him as enthusiastically (though without the kiss). While they still got together as much as possible, it was very hard with Saori's duties watching Sanctuary and everyone else having their own business to attend to.

Seiya was constantly traveling between Japan and Greece, spending time with Miho and the orphans while in Japan, and helping Saori with her duties and Marin with training the potential Saints in Sanctuary. After all, with everything that had happened over the last few years there were a lot of vacancies to fill now. The still 15 year old Saint constantly complained over how hard it was to keep up with both duties but never slowed down. It simply wasn't in his nature.

Shiryu, almost 17, mostly stayed in Rozan, continuing to train with his Master Dohko. Now he was keeping up with his training mostly to grow and take his place one day as the Gold Saint of Libra. He and Shunrei occasionally came to visit, but more often than not the other Bronze Saints would receive an apologetic call from the Chinese girl that he was either busy or had injured himself during training. His continued ability to literally train himself into a hospital bed amazed most of them. Most would think he was determined to earn the Gold Cloth the next day.

Hyouga, who had turned 17 earlier that year, stayed in his own homeland. He continued his own training as well, though if anyone asked his master Camus he had nowhere near the same drive or dedication. It wasn't that he didn't want the Aquarius Cloth, it simply seemed that Hyouga could always find something he thought was more important than the torturous training regimen that the Gold Saint of Aquarius put him through. He was seen even less often than Shiryu, though it wasn't for a lack of trying to find the time.

Ikki, whom only just turned 18, and Shun both stayed in Sanctuary, where Shun was retrieving his own diligent training from Shaka. Ikki himself was supposed to be training for the Leo Cloth, but he seemed perfectly content with his own Cloth of Phoenix and refused to attend his own training. It had to be insisted, however, that he stop intruding on his brother's training as, according to Shaka, "Your presence is upsetting the delicate balance needed for Shun to achieve the peace and inner-harmony required to be able to use and command the Virgo Cloth." Or, as he so tactfully put it later when his request was ignored, "Get the hell out of my temple before I turn you inside out!" So much for inner-harmony.

"How's it feel to be 16 now?" Hyouga teased, digging his own hands into the green mass of hair and ruffling it. "Feel old enough to have some real fun yet?"

"I don't know if it counts, but I do feel as if my hair has become a magnet for fingers!" Shun whined, squirming out of his grasp.

"We can't help it; your hair's just so… touchable!" Seiya grinned, though he didn't follow suit. "Have you been using the same stuff as Aphrodite?" He leaned forward and sniffed. "You have! It smells like roses! And I was just joking!"

Hyouga put a hand on the Pegasus's face, pushing him back. "Don't sniff his hair, stupid, that's just plain creepy," he huffed.

While the blond and brunette Saints proceeded to argue about the etiquette of handling others' hair, Shun slipped away. He combed his fingers through his locks, regaining some semblance of order, as he joined Shiryu. The Chinese Saint was sitting cross-legged on one of the side-benches, eyes closed. Without opening them, he acknowledged the other's presence. "Happy birthday."

"Thank you," Shun smiled, leaning on an elbow at the little side table where a menu sat for those who wanted a snack while they played. "It's hard to believe you all came here just for this. I mean, we don't usually all get together for birthday celebrations. For nii-san's 18th you and Hyouga both couldn't even make it."

"I was in the hospital. I don't know Hyouga's excuse. And you know your brother. He'd never let us make a fuss about him."

"And yet you all rushed here for mine."

Shiryu finally opened an eye, smiling at the other Saint. He reached over and Shun flinched, fearing that he would be subjected to another bout of hair abuse. However, the arm looped around his shoulders, pulling him in until their foreheads touched. "I don't know a person who would miss your Sweet 16. Even Seiya's impending 16th birthday isn't as hallmark of an event." The Andromeda Saint looked puzzled, but didn't question it. He simply allowed the other to kiss his forehead and stand up, walking over to the others. "So, are we going to bowl or not?" the Dragon Saint asked, looking impatient.

"Sure, we're just waiting for the Birthday Boy to throw the first ball!" Seiya replied.

"You don't 'throw' balls in bowling, dummy," Hyouga rolled his eyes.

"You know what I meant!"

Shun giggled, standing up and walking over. "Alright, let's get this ball rolling!"

It took less than five minutes for them to get into a groove, each taking their turn at the sport. Seiya proved to be adept at the sport, thanks to the fact that he took Miho on dates to the alley occasionally. Hyouga and Shun were decent enough, playing with the skill of people who didn't bowl often, but knew enough of what they were doing to hold their own. Shiryu was a natural, likely tapping into whatever natural athleticism that was born of his training to help guide him to strike after strike. Ikki didn't really care, but played for the sake of humoring his brother who seemed more enthused about the Phoenix Saint's playing than his own. And then there was Saori who… well, just because she knew the ball wasn't supposed to go in the gutter didn't mean she was particularly good at keeping it out of there. The Pegasus and Cygnus Saints were the only ones who teased her for it, though. After all, it was her first time trying the sport.

Four frames in, Shun bowled a seven then knocked down two more, spinning as he stepped away from the lane and high-fiving Seiya as Ikki stepped up for his turn.

"Nice going, man," Seiya grinned, punching him on the arm.

"Thanks!" Shun laughed, rubbing the spot. "I haven't had this much fun in ages! But I'm getting thirsty. I'm going to go get a soda, does anyone else want something?"

"Nah, I'm fine," Seiya shook his head. Shiryu just shrugged, waving a hand in negative.

"I could go for a lemonade if they have it," Saori requested.

"Sure, one lemonade coming up," Shun nodded, running off. He hopped the stairs in time to the '70s music playing on the intercom to the main area where the vending machines were. He had meant it when he said he didn't remember the last time he had so much fun. He thought that they should do this again sometime. He stepped up to one of the machines and browsed the selection until he found the lemonade. He reached for his wallet in his back pocket, but then remembered he'd taken it out while they were bowling so it wouldn't fall out. He was about to turn and return to get it when a hand reached around him, bill disappearing into the machine. "Oh!" he couldn't help making a surprised sound.

"Here you go," the young man behind him said, pushing the button for the lemonade.

The machine made a clunking sound as the drink was dropped and the green-haired Saint bent down to retrieve it. When he straightened he turned and realized the young man who was standing behind him, hand still planted against the machine placing Shun between him and it, had been staring at his hind end. His face tinted red and he stuttered a moment. "Th-thank you, but you really didn't have to…"

"Don't be ridiculous," the young man cut him off smoothly. "Cutie like you shouldn't have to pay for your own drinks."

Shun frowned. He was used to being stared at by now, but this person was being far more forward than he was comfortable with. "Thank you, but this was actually for a friend. I'm here with friends, you know. I should be getting back to them." He scooted himself around the way the young man wasn't blocking with his hand. "Thank you again for the lemonade."

"Hey, not so fast."

The Andromeda Saint made an offended gasp as his arm was grabbed, stopping his retreat. If this stranger didn't back off soon, he'd break his own rule about hurting civilians. Who did he think he was, harassing people he just met? "I must insist that you let me go. I have a party to get back to, and I would rather not keep my brother waiting." He hoped that mention of Ikki would deter him.

"Well, if you're not going to give me a 'thank you' I deserve, then I'll just take this back." The young man reached down and plucked the drink from Shun's hand. "Of course, if you really want it I can give it to you for the price of one kiss." He held the lemonade above his head, almost mockingly.

"In that case, I think I'll just get my wallet and buy my own," Shun huffed, pulling his arm out of his grasp. As soon as it was free, the hand was back around his arm like a bullet. What was with this guy?

"Okay, you're obviously not getting it. You're not supposed to tell me no…"

"And yet he did. Repeatedly from what I can tell."

Both Shun and the stranger turned to face the newcomer. Well, newcomer wasn't quite the right word. It was Hyouga, returning from the restroom from what the Andromeda Saint could tell. He hadn't even really noticed he'd gone, so engrossed in his party as he was. "Get lost, this isn't your business," the young man still holding onto Shun and the lemonade snapped.

"Being as you're harassing my boyfriend, I'm going to say it very much is."

"You're his boyfriend?" the stranger scoffed. Shun held his tongue. It wasn't the truth, but Hyouga was obviously trying to save him from having to lose his temper himself. "Well you can still get lost, I'm far more qualified than you to-"

Hyouga cut the man off by reaching forward with a finger and touching the lemonade. Ice immediately crept across the can and onto the young man's hand, freezing them together. "He said he didn't want your drink. If you can't live with that, then you can live with the lemonade itself."

"What the hell?!" the guy let go of Shun's arm finally, waving his hand around desperately. But no matter what he did, he couldn't detach the drink.

The Cygnus Saint ignored him, pulling out his own wallet and purchasing another lemonade. "There you go, babe," he held it out to the Andromeda Saint, who simply stared at him a moment.

Shun couldn't believe he just did that. It was a dangerous business, using his powers on a civilian. However, he supposed the man had deserved it, so he took the lemonade with a light, "Thank you. But… this was actually for Saori."

"Oh, did you want something, too?" Hyouga reached in his wallet again.

Shun stopped him with a hand on his. "No, that's okay. I'll… I'll get a drink later."

Hyouga blinked, but then smiled. He leaned forward and did something completely unexpected. He kissed Shun on the lips. It was a light kiss, but even so the green haired boy couldn't help but think he was playing up the 'boyfriend' act a little too convincingly. "Alright, let's get back. Your brother's going to send out a search party if you're gone too long."

Shun just nodded, letting Hyouga slip an arm around his waist as they walked back. He looked sideways at the Russian Saint, mind working at a thousand thoughts a second trying to figure him out. He seemed so… comfortable acting the loving boyfriend. As if he'd had practice at this. Why did that thought make his stomach tighten? It was just a show he put on to make the stranger stop harassing him. They were best friends, nothing more, and he was completely happy with that. …wasn't he?

"Shun!" Ikki pushed off from where he'd been leaning against the scoring table. "I was starting to wonder where…" He trailed off, looking from his younger brother to the hand on his hip, up to the owner of said appendage. He looked as if he were debating whether this constituted kicking Hyouga's ass or not.

A little too late, Shun finally reacted. "Oh, don't worry, I wasn't… I mean, it's not what it looks like…" He shifted and slid out of Hyouga's grasp, quickly jogging over to Saori and holding out the drink. "Here's your lemonade."

"Thank you, Shun," she replied, though she was still looking between the flustered Shun with his red-tinted cheeks and a slightly self-satisfied looking Hyouga. After a moment, she finally nodded. "I'm happy for you both."

It took only a second for Shun to realize what she meant. "Oh! No, it's not… like I said, it's not what it looks like! There was just this guy who wouldn't leave me alone, and…"

"What? Who?" Ikki immediately went on guard, looking around the alley as if every guy was the enemy.

"It doesn't matter, Hyouga scared him off!" the younger brother assured him. "He just… he made it look like we were… you know… together so he'd leave me alone. The man was very insistent."

"I'm telling you, it's the Aphrodite Effect. Shun's a guy-magnet. I'm willing to bet there isn't a guy in this place who doesn't want him," Hyouga insisted. He walked over to where the balls were spat out after each bowl, and picked up the ice blue one there.

"Come on, why did you need him to get rid of an annoyance?" Seiya scoffed. "Shun, you're one of the most powerful Saints alive, even if you never do anything with it. You should have been able to take care of any nuisance no problem."

"He's a civilian, I'm not going to hurt someone just because they're annoying me," the green haired Saint insisted, wishing they'd change the subject.

As if reading his mind, Shiryu spoke up. "According to the pamphlet for this place, they're going to be turning on the black light in thirty minutes. Are we going to stay for that?"

"Black light? You mean those lights that make white things glow?" Saori asked.

"That's the only black light I know of," the Pegasus Saint pointed out.

"Oh, that sounds like fun!" Shun clapped his hands. "Let's stay for it, we can do another game if we have to!"

"Sure, maybe this time Saori can break 30."

"Hey!"

While Hyouga and Seiya laughed, Saori huffing next to them but then finally breaking into a smile herself, Shun looked at Shiryu. The Chinese man glanced up from the pamphlet, giving him a small grin. The green-haired boy mouthed a 'thank you' to him. Being the center of attention on his birthday was welcome and unavoidable, but not the kind he was just subjected to. "Shiryu, it's your turn!" Seiya called over.

The Chinese man stood up and walked over, picking the pearlescent green bowling ball waiting for him and taking his place. Despite the extreme physical training that gave him his muscular body, he still walked with an almost cat-like grace that Shun always envied while they were growing up. He stood a moment, focusing on where the pins were and how he wanted to get the ball down there. It happened like a flash, his arm arching under him and body twisting in one smooth motion. None of the others could move like that, and they had all tried at this point as they watched the ball glide onto the lane, not even bouncing, and roll smoothly into the front pin. Even the sound of the pins collapsing didn't seem as loud as usual, as they all buckled and tumbled into each other. Seiya made an exaggerated exasperated sighing sound as he marked the fifth X on the card next to Shiryu's name.

"Seriously, Shiryu, you're killing us!" the Pegasus Saint whined. It was all in good fun, though, as he was grinning the whole time. "We need to sign you up for a league or something!"

"Sure, because he'd actually show up for that," Ikki muttered, rolling his eyes.

Shun giggled as Saori stepped by the black-haired Saint, picking up a ball almost the same light-purple as her hair. While she slipped her fingers into the hole, now getting more use to the unusual way they were held, the green-haired boy watched his Chinese companion passing by the others. Hyouga and Seiya gave him high-fives and slaps on the back. After speaking with them a moment, Shiryu moved on and slipped past Ikki. Shun's eyebrows shot up, however, as he did. It was fleeting and discreet, but he watched as for a few seconds Ikki's hand came up to caress his arm, Shiryu's lips coming up next to his ear and whispering something. The Phoenix Saint's lip curled into a slight smirk. A second later it was over. Shiryu stepped away from him and walked over to Shun, leaning against the table next to him again.

He almost didn't say anything, but he had to know now. Was that just his imagination? "Shiryu, you and Nii-san…" he said lightly, not wanting to alert the others to his accusation.

The Chinese man glanced at him and smiled, holding a finger against his lips. "Shhh…" he warned.

The Andromeda Saint couldn't believe it. Saori haphazardly tossed her ball down the lane, grazing the right three pins, as his mind raced. His brother was in a relationship with Shiryu. How long had this been going on? Why was he hiding it from him? He thought Ikki liked women, considering how much he had loved Esmeralda. Was it hypocrisy that he was so against Shun dating men when he himself was? How in the world did they see each other, with Shiryu staying in China most of the time and Ikki spending so much time in Sanctuary?

The sound of a ball hitting pins and Saori's delighted squeal brought his attention back to the game. "I got them! I got them all! Look at that, all ten of them!" she was jumping up and down as Seiya and Hyouga stared in shock at the empty end of the lane. "In your faces!" Her hands flew to her mouth at her own outburst, eyes wide. "Oh gods, I'm so sorry, I don't know-"

"You go, Goddess!" Seiya suddenly whooped, running over and grabbing her from behind, lifting her off her feet. She laughed and didn't struggle as he carried her over like that, putting her down as the others came over.

"Who knew you had it in you? We'll make you one of the common-folk yet," Hyouga grinned. "Watch it, Shun; she'll be catching up to your score in no time."

"She's not that good yet," Ikki said. "One lucky shot doesn't make her an expert."

"Hey!" Saori put her hands on her hips. "Whose side are you on?"

They all laughed and continued their game, Shun forgetting his suspicions and his brother's overprotectiveness. With Saori finally getting into the zone it was starting to get competitive. Outside of Shiryu, who continued to dominate the game with the ease of someone who had played since they were old enough to pick up a ball, the others all picked up their game and began trying to outdo each other. Pick-up shots turned into spares, and spares into strikes. As the first game ended and the black-light was turned on, many of the other patrons began gathering around to see how the next match would play out. Many were there to see if Shiryu could pull off another perfect game. Others wanted to watch the others compete at the top of their game. And at some point the word that it was Shun's Sweet 16 had gotten out. People were wishing him happy birthday as if they had all come just for that reason, and guys were once again coming out of the woodwork to try flirting with both him and Saori.

"I'm going to remind you, it's his 16th birthday," Ikki growled at a man who was too old to be flirting with him and obviously had one too many. "Get out of here, pervert." He stepped towards the man who quickly retreated from the intimidating teenager.

"Geez, your brother needs to work overtime tonight," Hyouga chuckled, coming up behind Shun and hugging him from the back while said older Saint was taking his turn bowling. It startled Shun, who was becoming increasingly aware of not only Hyouga's presence, but the little things between his brother and Shiryu. He glanced back in time to see Hyouga giving what looked like an almost triumphant smirk to a couple of young guys who had been watching Shun from nearby, too scared of Ikki to get closer.

With the black light on everything white took on a bluish glow, including Shun's t-shirt and Hyouga's jeans. They were selling black light paint at the desk and several people had bright colored markings across their faces, arms, and clothes.

"I don't blame him; the Aphrodite Effect is working overtime in the dark. The black light makes your eyes glow, you look almost magical," the Cygnus Saint continued. He was rocking back and forth to the beat of the music, Shun having to rock with him so it didn't cause anything… indecent from happening.

Shun almost responded that it made Hyouga's hair shine as well, giving him a halo. He stopped himself when he realized how that would sound. Instead he asked, "What are you doing?"

"What do you mean?"

"…Never mind," Shun felt silly having asked that question. He wasn't sure how to tactfully ask him why he was being so familiar. However, this wasn't as strange to their relationship as the kiss earlier was. Hyouga and Shun had always been comfortable around each other, though the green-haired boy had never questioned it before. He loved Hyouga as a friend, nothing more. Or at least, that's what he'd always thought.

As they rocked back and forth, Shun closed his eyes and relaxed. He was thinking too much about it. Maybe his answers would be easier to get if he didn't think. He felt Hyouga's mouth next to his ear, breathing lightly in it. It wasn't as annoying as it should have been, instead a pleasant tickle that made him smile. He was extremely aware of Hyouga's entire body pressed against his back. They fit together perfectly, like two pieces of the same puzzle. He'd never noticed before.

The blond started humming, though it was a different tune than the one over the speakers. It was slower, softer, sounding vaguely familiar. He liked it, sighing a bit. Hyouga pressed a kiss against his ear and there was a shout that brought the birthday boy back to reality.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Ikki came marching over, snarling teeth glowing in the black light. The entire room seemed to go quiet except the disco music at the sound of his yelling. All heads turned towards them. "Let go of him, Cygnus!"

Shun was fully expecting Hyouga to let go and give another joking, off-handed comment. But he didn't. He continued to hold the younger man, looking almost challenging at his brother. "What's got you worked up, Ikki?" he asked, almost mocking.

"Don't play games with me, I saw that," the elder brother growled at him. "Let him go right now. I played nice earlier, and I was letting it go right now while you were holding him like that. But I'm drawing the line now!"

"Nii-san…" Shun tried to get into the conversation, to tell him that it was innocent.

"No, he's been trying all night to get… like this with you. I'm not taking it anymore!" Ikki took a step forward.

"Ikki, stop," Shiryu ran over, standing in the middle of the fight and putting his hands on the Phoenix's shoulders. "Don't start this here, it's Shun's birthday."

"Yeah, man!" Seiya joined him, grabbing Ikki's arm and holding on in case he decided to break through the Dragon Saint's stand. "You're embarrassing him! Everyone's staring!"

Ikki looked around at the crowd, who were quietly watching. He then looked to Shun, whose wide eyes were pleading him silently to back down.

Finally, he looked at Shiryu, who was watching him warily. After a moment he finally made a frustrated sound and turned around, marching towards the exit. The crowd parted quickly as he went through. "Nii-san!" Shun called, moving after him.

"No, it's okay," Shiryu assured him. "I'll go after him. Stay here; he'll only say something he'll regret if you go out there."

Shun nodded, watching Shiryu leave as well. He couldn't believe this was happening. All he was trying to do was have a happy birthday, and he was doing alright. But now Hyouga was confusing him and Ikki was angry. He couldn't be angry at either of them, though. He almost felt like somehow this was his fault, though he wasn't sure why.

"Geez, talk about overreacting," Seiya muttered, scratching his head and glancing back at the two. "You chose some time to make your move, man."

"Move?" the green-haired Saint asked, looking up at Hyouga who still held him, though from the front this time.

"Yeah," he muttered, laying his chin in Shun's soft hair. "Sorry about all this. Guess I let my stubbornness get the best of me. Thought I could handle your brother, though."

"You mean, Ikki was telling the truth?" Saori asked. "You really have been trying all night to get with Shun?"

Hyouga nodded absently. Shun was speechless. He didn't know what he could possibly say. "This isn't exactly how I pictured any of it going. I imagined less… life threatening. Things were going pretty well, too, until Ikki decided to lose it."

"Hyouga…" Shun blinked. "Are you trying to tell me… are you asking me to be your boyfriend?"

The blond Saint nodded again, holding him tighter. "Yeah, I am. I've wanted to ask you for a long time, but Seiya and Shiryu convinced me to at least wait until today."

"It seemed more appropriate to wait until you were 16," Seiya shrugged. "It was Shiryu's idea."

"Shiryu?"

"Yeah, he thought Ikki might take it better if you were older."

"You didn't answer me yet," Hyouga pointed out, putting his hands on Shun's upper-arms and pushing him back a bit to look into his eyes. "Will you go out with me, Shun?"

After a moment in which Shun stared at him, registering everything that had happened not only that day but over the last few years, he finally smiled back. "Yes. I want to go out with you, Hyouga." It was so… obvious when he looked back. He thought all of those times where he thought he and Hyouga were sharing innocent moments, and realized how intimate they were. He and Hyouga were falling for each other over the last few years, and he didn't even notice. Apparently he was the only one.

"Thank you," Hyouga kissed his forehead. "I won't disappoint you, I promise." He then bent down and kissed his lips again.

There was a collective, "Awww…" from the crowd watching them. At the head of it was Saori, while Seiya just grinned as if it were about damned time.

()()()()()

Ikki sat on the bench at the side of the bowling alley in the dark, a dim streetlight trying feebly to make sure he wasn't cast into total darkness. He wasn't exactly worried about muggers, being a Saint. He dared someone to try and attack him. He could use the outlet for his frustration.

"Don't you think you're overreacting a little?"

He didn't look up. He knew Shiryu would follow him out. The Chinese man stood over him, arms crossed. His entire body exuded an air of exasperation and annoyance.

"Don't start with me, Shiryu," Ikki muttered, glaring at the sidewalk.

"You promised. You promised you wouldn't try and stop Hyouga from asking him out. The only reason I told you about his plan to do it was because I didn't want to you to hurt him when he actually started flirting with Shun."

Ikki tensed up at the mere mention of it, letting out a loud breath. "I thought I could handle it. But dammit, Shun's not old enough to date, not even if it's Hyouga!"

"He's 16, Ikki!" Shiryu placed a hand on the back of the bench, leaning over the Phoenix Saint. "And in case you forgot, so am I." He leaned down and kissed Ikki's temple.

"That's different. You're different. You're…"

"Not your precious little brother?"

Ikki cringed, looking away from him. Shiryu took this opportunity to sit down on the bend next to him, leaning against him. Ikki reflexively put an arm around his shoulders, drawing him closer. The Dragon leaned his head on the Phoenix's shoulder, closing his eyes. "Don't you want Shun to know what this feels like? To be this happy?"

"Yes, but… he's not ready for it."

"He is. You're not," Shiryu sighed, opening his eyes again and looking up at the older Saint. "He's not the little boy he was when we were kids. You've realized this enough to let him fight his own battles, to grow as a Saint. Yet you can't admit that he's old enough for a boyfriend?"

"When you say it like that," Ikki muttered. He looked down at his lover and deflated, pulling him up into a crushing kiss.

It was hard for them, being apart all the time. They'd started seeing each other a year previous, after Ikki's 17th birthday. They kept it secret since they didn't know how the others would react. At first it was just loneliness that brought them together, but then something deeper had formed during those times in which they could actually be together. It helped that Shun would spend weeks at a time training with Shaka, leaving Ikki with nothing to do (being as he didn't attend his own training), thus he would visit Shiryu all the way in the Rozan Five Peaks. At first, Master Dohko highly disapproved of their relationship. He thought it would be distracting, that it was inappropriate for two young Saints to engage in such relations. But after a visit from Mu his attitude suddenly changed. They didn't question the change of heart. Shunrei accepted their relationship from the start, seeming thrilled that Shiryu finally had someone so important outside of her and Dohko.

"Come on, I think Shun deserves an apology," the Chinese Saint said after they finally broke apart. When Ikki opened his mouth he added, "And be nice to Hyouga. It won't kill you."

The Phoenix sighed. "Fine."

()()()

When the Phoenix and Dragon Saints returned inside the others were continuing with their game. Except one difference, there was a guy standing up at the lane when it was Shiryu's turn. "Hey!" he yelled, jogging over. "What's going on?"

"You were taking too long getting back," Seiya shrugged. "We couldn't wait forever, so we told Kei here he could have your turn."

The teenager standing there waved awkwardly at him, nearly dropping the ball.

Shiryu played it cool and waved him off, seemingly approving of it. However, when he reached Seiya, he threw an arm around the back of his neck and drew him in. "You are so dead when we get back to the mansion. You killed my perfect score."

"Oh, did you have a perfect score?" the Pegasus Saint said innocently. "I didn't notice."

"Don't test me."

Ikki passed them by, shaking his head. He made a beeline for his brother and the Cygnus Saint, who were sitting on one of the benches together. Hyouga was whispering something into Shun's ear, who giggled in response. Ikki bristled when he saw it, almost saying something. But he then remembered the discussion he had with Shiryu. He was right, looking at the Andromeda Saint as he was; he wasn't a little boy anymore. He'd grown into a young man right in front of his eyes, and he had to accept that that was what he was. And he even admitted that he'd become an extremely beautiful young man. He supposed it could be worst. He knew Hyouga was a good and honorable man. Okay, he could do this.

"Nii-san!" Shun all but squeaked when his brother approached. He looked embarrassed, as if caught doing something he wasn't supposed to.

Hyouga, however, tightened his hold on Shun's hip, almost pulling him into his lap in the process. He got that challenging look in his eye again. "Ikki."

The Phoenix Saint took a breath and raised a hand. "Hey," he started with.

At the non-hostile greeting, they both relaxed. It seemed this was going to be civil.

"Can I have this seat?" he gestured to the spot next to his brother.

"Of course, please sit," Shun agreed, adjusting to make more room.

When Ikki was sitting comfortably next to the green-haired teenager, he reached over and drew him in so that Shun's head was resting on his shoulder. The Andromeda Saint accommodated it, leaning away from Hyouga and towards him instead. He snuggled into his big brother, feeling like when they were kids.

"I never really thought you'd grow past this," Ikki admitted, pushing a bang out of the younger's face. "Your age, I mean, not this jungle you call a haircut."

"Nii-san!" Shun squirmed and laughed as Ikki ruffled his hair like he did earlier that day, then kissed the top of his head.

"When did you get so big? I keep looking at you and expecting that little kid who used to run to me whenever other kids pulled his hair or pushed him. You were so sweet and shy. Now you not only have your own friends, you have a boyfriend."

Shun blinked, leaning back and staring at him with his bright, emerald eyes. "Nii-san, are you…?"

"I'm saying," Ikki reached over and poked the Cygnus Saint in the chest. "If you hurt my little brother I'll punch through your chest. Again. And this time no crucifix will save you."

The blond let out a loud laugh, grabbing Shun around the torso and pulling him, yelping, into his lap. "I wouldn't dream of it. You're not the only one who loves him more than anything in this world."

"Hyouga…" Shun blushed, bashfully kissing Hyouga on the cheek. "Thank you. You're probably the only guy I know who's willing enough to stand up to Nii-san in order to ask me out."

"I don't know, that guy earlier might've tried it," the blond grinned.

"I'm pretty sure if he tried then frost-bitten fingers would have been the least of his worries."

They both laughed as Ikki watched, feeling as if he were on the outside of an inside joke.

()()()()()

"Hyouga?"

"Yeah, Shun?"

"I really like you, you know."

"Well, I should hope so, now that we're dating."

"I mean I think I've always really liked you. Like… more than a friend."

Hyouga looked down at the green-haired boy. He was sitting on the balcony with Shun's head in his lap. The festivities had finally ended, with cake and ice cream and presents. Shun appreciated everything they did for him, especially Ikki finally accepting that Hyouga wanted to be with him.

"You could have fooled me," the Cygnus Saint teased, poking his cheek. "When we were kids you used to go crying to Ikki whenever I tried to talk to you."

"That's because you never just 'talked,' you always punched me in the arm!" the Andromeda Saint pointed out.

"Okay, so maybe I wasn't the nicest kid to you."

"You weren't the only one," Shun sighed. "And you weren't the worst. But I decided to forgive you guys a long time ago. I'm glad I did, too. I couldn't imagine holding a grudge against you or the others. Especially you."

"I'm glad, too," Hyouga grinned. "If you decided you wanted revenge on all of us, I'm pretty sure you could have gotten it. Easily and painfully."

"I'd never-!"

"I know. That's one of the reasons I love you."

Shun snapped his mouth shut and blushed. They'd thrown the word 'like' around a lot that day, but neither of them had used the other 'L' word yet. He figured neither of them would be ready for that for a long time. After all, you had to be dating someone a while to know, right? How long had Shiryu and Ikki been seeing each other before they used that word? Had they even used it already?

"I'm sorry, was that too soon?" As if reading his mind, the blond-haired young man looked away awkwardly. "I meant to say 'like,' I really did. But that just kind of… I dunno, came out."

"It's okay," Shun smiled. "If it came out without you thinking about it, then you must have meant it." He pushed himself out of Hyouga's lap, turning to lean on his shoulder. "I'm just not sure I'm ready to say something like that. Maybe… after a while."

"I'll wait as long as you want me to," Hyouga wrapped an arm around his shoulders and closed his eyes contentedly. "It's only Day 1. We don't need to rush anything. We have plenty of time."

The younger man nodded lazily. "Hyouga?"

"Yeah?"

"What was that song you were humming at the bowling alley?"

Hyouga thought a moment, confused. Then he realized what he was talking about. "Oh, you mean when Ikki was bowling."

"Yes. It sounded familiar and I… I really liked it."

"It's an old American song. Here, stand up."

Shun made a startled sound as Hyouga pulled him to his feet and turned him so they were face-to-face. He pulled Shun's hand up to rest on his shoulder, and put his own on the same side of the green-haired boy's waist. He held Shun's other hand in his and began humming once again as he guided him to rock back and forth with him. After a moment he began singing.

Sixteen candles
Make a lovely light
The night as bright
As your eyes tonight

Shun closed his eyes, smiling softly and letting the song envelope him in its loving embrace. Hyouga's voice was deep and soothing, relaxing ever muscle in his body. He let the half-Russian man lead him as they slowly danced.

Blow out the candles
Make your wish come true
For I'll be wishing
That you love me too

Hyouga pulled him in closer and nuzzled his chin into that soft, green mane. He let go of Shun's hand and wrapped his now free arm around his waist to join the other one. Shun's arms wrapped around his neck and his head rested on Hyouga's shoulder.

You're only sixteen
But you're my teenage dream
You're the prettiest, loveliest
Boy I've ever seen

Shun giggled. "I don't think that's how that line goes," he whispered.

"Shhh," Hyouga shushed, though he was grinning. "You're ruining my song."

"Sorry."

Sixteen candles
In my heart will glow
Forever and ever
For I love you so

()()()

Ikki rolled his eyes. His brother's room was right beside his, and he could hear Hyouga singing on the balcony through his open window. "I can't take this much longer."

"Shush, you," Shiryu hissed at him, head resting on the Phoenix's bare chest. The little time they spent together they tried to be as intimate as possible. This meant as much sex as they could fit discreetly fit into their schedule. It was just an added challenge to try and have it quietly while Shun and Hyouga were almost right outside their window. "I think it's nice. You never sing for me."

"Do you really want me to?"

"No, but it doesn't mean you shouldn't try."

The Phoenix slapped his forehead at the insane logic behind it. He knew Shiryu was just teasing him, but he wasn't in any mood for it while he had to listen to the Russian boy outside serenade his little brother.

You're only sixteen
But you're my teenage queen
You're the prettiest, loveliest
Boy I've ever seen

"Did he just call my brother a queen?"

"Shush!"

Sixteen candles
In my heart will glow
Forever and ever
For I love you so
For I love you soooooooooo!

They heard Shun laugh at the long, high note Hyouga held at the end. At the sound Ikki melted. He had to learn to let it go, as hard as it was. Shun was old enough to fight monsters, evil Saints, and Gods. There was no reason he shouldn't be old enough to date. He knew this, no matter how much it hurt to admit it.

"I'm proud of you," Shiryu broke the silence this time, reaching up and running a hand across Ikki's strong jaw. "Shun isn't the only one who did some growing up today. You managed to work your way past something that you've clung to your whole life."

The eldest of the Bronzes stared at him a moment, then quirked an eyebrow. "Are you saying I wasn't grown up enough for you?"

"Ikki, you're missing the point- AH!"

Shiryu's sentence was cut off by a particularly unmanly squeak as Ikki turned them over, pinning the Dragon Saint underneath him. "I seemed plenty grown up thirty minutes ago…"

()()()

"Ikki, no no no, don't… A~AH!"

Shun blushed as the loud pleasured cry mixed with a laugh escaped the window next to the balcony.

"…was that Shiryu?" Hyouga asked, pointing the direction of Ikki's room.

Shun quickly grabbed his hand and pulled the blond out of the night air and into his room. He shut the door as quietly as possible so as not to alert the couple next-door to their having heard them. When they were safely inside he bit his bottom lip. Well, there wasn't much point in keeping the secret from Hyouga now. Especially with the next words that left his mouth.

"That damned hypocrite!"

"Shhhh!" the Andromeda Saint warned, covering his boyfriend's mouth with a hand. "Please, Hyouga, don't go making a scene, not after he finally decided to let us be!"

Hyouga pulled his hand off his mouth and was about to say something when he saw the pleading look in his eyes. So he instead sighed loudly and scratched the back of his head. "Wow, Shiryu and Ikki, huh?" he said instead. "I feel like I should be way more surprised than I am, but… somehow, I don't know, it makes a lot of stuff make more sense."

Shun made a relieved sound. He leaned up and kissed Hyouga shyly. "Thank you. I know you don't feel like you should be doing Nii-san any favors after how he treated you today, but at least think of Shiryu. We don't need to embarrass him."

Hyouga looked thoughtful a moment, then kissed the Japanese boy back. "You're right. I like Shiryu. He's one of our biggest supporters." Without another word he kissed Shun again. Then again. It was an intoxicating feeling, being able to finally kiss the younger Saint so freely. Shun didn't stop him, but seemed too shy to contribute to what seemed to be a one-sided make out session. He pulled the Andromeda Saint against him to try and encourage him to do something other than just stand there. After a moment Shun finally kissed back, though it was still awkward. After a few moments in which he started to feel braver, Shun suddenly pulled back.

"Hyouga, I… I think you should go back to your room for tonight," he said hurriedly, staring at the floor. His cheeks were tinted red and he looked unsure of what he was doing.

The Cygnus Saint sighed but relented. "Alright, I won't make you do anything you don't want to, I promise. But you owe me a lot more kisses, alright?"

Shun smiled a bit at that, glancing up at him. "Of course I do, silly. I'm your boyfriend, remember?"

"How could I ever forget?" Hyouga teased, kissing him on the forehead. When he was given an accusing look, he withdrew his arms and held them up in peace. "I'm going, I'm going. No funny business, I promise." He turned to go dramatically, heading out the door.

As he was about to close the door behind him, a hand stopped it. He turned and looked at Shun, who had followed him there. "You didn't give me a proper goodnight kiss," he said shyly.

Hyouga stared at him a moment in surprise, then smiled. "Of course, my mistake," he replied, taking Shun's face into his hands. He gave him one last kiss on the lips. This one was returned in full force. When they broke apart, the Russian boy nuzzled Shun's nose with his own. "'Night, my beautiful teenage dream," he whispered.

"Goodnight, Hyouga. Thank you for making my birthday especially nice."

Hyouga nodded and let him go, turning to head back to his own room with a wave.

Shun watched him go, leaning against the door frame. He touched his own lips with his fingertips, feeling them tingle. This was definitely the best birthday present he'd ever been given.