Happy New Year

The war against Hades was over. Finally, Athena and her Saints could enjoy the peace, the longing peace. There was no more war on Earth. Their lives have changed. From that moment on, they had started living as citizens, not as Saints anymore. They managed to live as normal, even with their cosmoenergy ready for battle. They also started celebrating special dates, like Christmas and New Year.

For poor Shaka, who couldn't celebrate nor wished to do so, New Year was coming, but not as a special date just coming as the river's flow. It was two years after the war raged against Hades, God of the Underworld. How he wished to bury himself just to avoid celebration.

Last Christmas he remembered was a disaster, when the bronzies and silvers, under Aiolia, Milo and Deathmask's command, that they raged another war, a foody one. Thanks to Saga that Aiolia wasn't sent to the world of the six regions by an agry Virginian, hit by a strawberry cheesecake on the face.

Exactly those three seemed to have taken a liking to pull the Virgo's leg, especially the Leo Saint, Aiolia. If it wasn't the shampoo sabotage, changing the Virgo knight's usual shampoo to a dying one, it was some (actually too many) candies on his hair while he was sleeping, and so on. Shaka was already sick of that, and with reason.

For luck, or lack of, Shaka wasn't the only one who wasn't willing to celebrate the transition between 2008 and 2009. Camus and Kanon weren't too excited for the coming of a new year. The first one wanted to be alone with his novel books and the second wasn't believed by most of the Saints that he was a threat no more, despite Athena's forgiveness.

He was an introverted person and had created a strong bond with his temple. There, he could find his inner peace and serenity. Even Athena, who insisted to be called Saori (which was dificult especially for the Gold Saints, used to call her as Athena that almost forgot her human name), wasn't capable enough to convince the narrow minded Virgo Saint to join the others because he couldn't stand the Kido Mansion and its uncountable rooms, too much rooms for all the 88 Saints. There was too much noise in there and it becomes worse and worse when the celebrations occur.

Under Athena's authorization, the blonde lad has been visiting the Virgo Temple to meditate. Yet there was emptiness inside his heart, but reason came to him to supress his emotions and feelings. As he always did. No wonder why Shaka is considered the "man closest to God". When in battle, a warrior must not let his feelings hold him back for they can bring him nothing but his death.

Shaka was inside his temple, meditating in his usual lothus position. This time, his New Year's celebration was different. What he did not expect was a visitor. Aiolia went to visit him. Even with the eyes closed, he has noticed some object in the Leo's hands. "Good evening, blonde doll" as he approached the Virginian. Blonde doll!? Perhaps the brunet lad has lost his grip to create such a nonsense nickname.

"What do you want, Aiolia?" Shaka asked without leaving his position of meditation. The answer hasn't come with words, but a kiss on his lips. A soft kiss. It caught the blonde by surprise, he had never imagined that his comrade could have this kind of feeling towards him. "A-Aiolia?" is all that came out from the Virgo Saint's mouth. Before he could continue, the visitor began. "All this time I've been thinking of you. Of your smile. How it would be? Have you ever laughed? Have you ever cried?"

Shaka couldn't help, Aiolia's speech was warm. It was like he was completed by now, that his emptiness no longer would remain in his heart. Without a second thought, he embraced his… lover. Yes, it was exactly what it seemed, his lover. He didn't care about what the others would say nor think about his new relationship. It was new year, new life. "Aiolia, I… Happy New Year!" giving the Leo a slight smile, enough to the other's smile grows wider.

And there the new couple remained, to stare at the sky. For the first time, Shaka understood the meaning of New Year's celebration.