.

.

.

"Happy birthday!"

After a long day in Rodorio and spending some time with his students, now Shaka was receiving hugs from his closest friends. Mu was there, indeed, he was just his best friend since they were just little kids that fought all the time. Aldebaran too, because was the kid who separate them when the ego fights begin. Even Aiolia and Saga decided to be there. The first one because was Shaka's friend since they both earn their cloths and lived so many years so close and the second one didn't mind the age gap because he remember well Shaka was a very smart kid that talked a lot with him and now both were bearing a high respect to each other as the powerful warriors they were.

"Thank you, guys. I'm glad you decided to be here…"

But suddenly he felt one more hug.

"Happy birthday, young Virgo!"

The other guest to the dinner Shaka decided to prepare for himself and spend some time with close friends was… Dohko. Since the Virgo Saint moved to the Sanctuary, Dohko took him as a protégé and was interested in be close to him. Shaka somehow remind him his old friend Asmita, his temples were and still be together, Shaka was very smart to know he wasn't a ghost and too, and more important, his student Shiva was a pretty lady he was trying to court.

"Thanks, old master." Shaka said to then take a deep breath. "I'm happy you are here too."

"Indeed." Shiva said to himself and blushed a bit. But was enough to let Agora know…

"Fine, fine." Agora said holding her shoulders. "Please, masters, take a sit now that we will begin to eat." He said to move his little sister to the table. "I bet you all are hungry!"

The Saints didn't wait too long to accept the offer. Shaka sat down to be between Agora and Mu, something that kind of bother him because then Shiva was at side of Agora and Dohko didn't waste the opportunity to be at her side and hold her hand. Saga was in the middle of Aldebaran and Aiolia and they couldn't believe how full of energy looked the old master… specially Saga that knew his friend Shion and how they supposed to be.

Some minutes after that, the servants arrived with different food and wine for the guests. Some juice for Shiva and Mu who didn't like the alcohol too much.

The talks were around the old times when Shaka was a child, Agora and Shiva listened well and were astonished to know that for example Mu and his master were enemies when children.

"He was a weird kid." Mu explained. "He was always trying to show us we were wrong in anything, so one day I told him he was just like us and he got really angry."

"Enough to begin to use his cosmos and fight in front of us." Aldebaran said crossing his arms. "Ah, remember that time when he opened his eyes and if it wasn't because Saga was around… well, I don't know what would happened."

"Something terrible, for sure." Saga smiled.

"Looks like the illuminated kid was a bit hot headed." Dohko smiled. "Just like Shiva."

She just blushed and drink some juice to don't try to answer that. Even Shaka did the same with his wine and coughed a bit.

"Well, but I must admit thanks to those fights we are now friends." He said. "Especially that time when Patriarch Shion made us train together for a big period of time."

"How long?" asked Aiolia.

"Since my birthday to his birthday." Mu smiled. "Imagine, six whole months being together. He never gave me a gift because we were enemies but I gave him a golden brooch for his cloak."

"So you can say Shaka still owe you a birthday gift, Mu." Dohko smiled to make them laugh a bit. "Hey, Shaka, I know what you can give me in my birthday."

"Please, old master, don't say it." Shaka was a bit serious, but already the other knew and Dohko didn't mind at all.

"You should let Shiva go with me to China. She can be the best gift."

Shaka sighed and covered his face. Oh, terrible the day he said yes when Dohko asked him if he could court freely to his student. He thought was a joke, he didn't realized his mistake till now. Agora didn't know what to say and just kept eating as while Shiva blushed without control.

"Well, that's true." Saga said after Aiolia and Aldebaran laughed a bit. "Your student is pretty, I must say, so Dohko has the reason."

"Who says that?" Aiolia said. "The guy who had a harem when Patriarch?"

Saga almost split his wine because of this. Even Shaka needed to laugh, but Aldebaran decided to keep with the joke. Maybe it was too much wine for them now.

"So, you are saying you are totally happy if someone give you a gift like… she?"

"Gods, guys, I'm just trying to be a gentleman with Shiva. Sorry if sounds like something else, Peacock Saint." Saga tried to hide his blush but still was visible.

"Ah, don't mind at all, great Gemini." Shiva answered with a smile. "I did understand what you meant."

"But to be honest." Mu said to then think some seconds. "It sounds like Shiva is just an object that can be give as a gift to someone."

"Oh no!" Dohko realized his mistake and turned to Shiva. "I'm sorry, I didn't mind to say that." He then turned to Shaka. "I meant that her presence will be a great gift to me. I didn't want to say anything else but that."

Shaka just moved his hand to make him know it was correct, he totally understood.

"And what about you, Shaka?" Aldebaran asked. "Do you wish something as a gift?"

"That's a silly question, Aldebaran." Aiolia said as he was taking a comfortable pose in his chair. "Shaka can't wish or desire anything, am I right?"

"Yes you are." Saga said. "But… what do you think Shaka? Don't you want something in special?"

The owner of the temple smiled to his guests and began to think about it. He didn't desire anything because was out of his discipline and life philosophy and his wishes were so simples as drink another glass of wine of spend time with his students or his best friend Mu.

"No, I think…" something passed for his mind but decided to keep it for himself. "I think I have all I need and want. So, no, Aldebaran. I don't wish any other gift but your presence in my temple."

"I don't care." Aldebaran said as he rose up to come close to his own Pandora Box. "We bring you some things we hope you like."

"What?"

So that was the reason why Aldebaran went with his cloth in the back. He was hiding some gifts inside it and Shaka never thought about it.

"Oh, Agora, bring our gift." Shiva smiled.

"You too?" Shaka couldn't believe it, especially when one of the boxes was already in front of him. "Why do you do this?"

"Well, it is your birthday, young Virgo." Dohko smiled as his hand passed his hand over Shiva's back to hug her. "It is normal that your friends give you some gifts."

Shiva was wearing a beautiful peacock pendant, Shaka didn't realized it till now that was giving his cold sight to Dohko to let him know that in front of him he couldn't be like that with Shiva. Dohko just smiled and removed his hand just to place it in Shiva's shoulder.

The Virgo Saint decided then to open the gifts. He almost laughed when saw that Mu gave him a golden brooch with the symbol of his zodiac sign. Shaka couldn't say no to that.

After receiving a book from Saga that talked about different teas and herbal drinks, a beautiful box of wood from Aiolia that bought in his last mission and a rug made in Brazil from Aldebaran, Shaka couldn't wait to open Dohko's and his student's gift. The Peacock and Lotus Saint give him some delightful incenses from India and a place to turn them on. But the Libra Saint decided to joke around and give him a book about meditations and yoga.

"You must be kidding." Saga said seeing the book.

"What? He might needed now that I'm dating Shiva!"

"You what?" Shaka asked a bit surprised. "You say you would court her only."

"Well, she said yes yesterday." Dohko smiled to then kiss Shiva's cheek. "So, happy birthday!"

Shaka was in silence. He then just sighed and opened the book.

"I might need this one and this one…" he was serious as his mates were laughing and Shiva was hiding his blush. "There is no meditation to handle this kind of things, Dohko."

"Ah, you will find one. And think about another one stronger… for the wedding?"

Now Aldebaran couldn't hide his laughter and Aiolia was laughing as hard him. Shaka couldn't believe this and just made a movement with his hand to show he didn't care. But anyway he smiled to Shiva and to Agora, who was a bit worried.

After some more laugh and talks, one by one the Saints leaved the temple. Dohko was the last one because asked to Shaka if Shiva could spend some more hours with him. Shaka was almost saying no when the Libra Saint invited to Agora too and promised to be only in the stairs. It wasn't like Shaka wouldn't trust, but for Dohko was normal because in his time he needed to do things like that.

The Virgo Saint was now alone as the servants began to clean everything. He told them to go now and could do it tomorrow, which they accepted because was almost midnight.

Now the hall was dark and Shaka walked with a smile on his face thinking in the whole day. Still, he began to remember Aldebaran's question. He never desired or wished anything, not even in his birthdays or any other day, except that moment. One word or, better said, one name passed thru his mind when the Taurus Saint asked him that.

His hand reached the door of his room as he was thinking in that, and stopped in the second the door opened. He smiled for himself and turned his face a bit to the dark hall. It was indeed darker than other night because some servants forgot to turn on the lights but he was still seeing something there.

"Happy birthday, Shaka."

A deep and mature voice could be heard easily.

"I thought you said you wouldn't come back till a month or two." Shaka said opening the door and laying his shoulder in the frame of the door.

"I said so, yes…" now Ikki was in the other side of the frame of the door. "But even if you have birthdays I thought that maybe would be good to come and visit you."

The young Phoenix was smiling in the way he only could do and wearing a shirt without sleeves as he used to when was younger. From the five Bronze Saints Shaka knew, Ikki was the closer and even could say was his best friend. But of course, after some time together, weren't friends anymore.

"I'm glad you came." Shaka give a step forward to hold Ikki's face. "I was thinking in you."

"I bet you was." Ikki smiled. "I heard you have a great time with hose children of you."

"Do you mean Shiva and Agora?"

"Yes, the white peacock and the big bear." Ikki kept talking but stopped when Shaka pushed him slightly to the wall. "So, suddenly you like birthdays?"

"Where is my gift, Ikki?"

"Oh, whoa… even you are asking gifts." He laughed and held Shaka close with a hand in his neck. "Well, then let me give you a gift."

The Virgo Saint closed his eyes as the lips of his lover came close enough to rub his lips. But wasn't enough for any of them and the kiss was present when Ikki held Shaka's face with both hands. Both smiled and let another kiss appeared.

"Hey, Shaka." Ikki said without moving so much and keep being close to him. "I'm tired so… I should go to the guest room and rest a bit."

Now the Phoenix Saint moved to kiss Shaka's cheek and walk in direction to the guest room, but he felt the grip of Shaka's arms around his hips and again a kiss placed in his lips. But this kiss was now longer and deeper. Ikki closed his eyes and let a slightly sigh go out feeling the caresses of Shaka's hands around his neck and shoulders.

"Stay with me." Shaka smiled to kiss his forehead. "My perfect gift would be sleep at your side."

"Shaka, I thought we talked about taking time about that."

"What do you mean?" Shaka asked very serious without understand.

The youngest laughed a bit. Of course he was talking about sex, but Shaka was talking about really sleep at his side. He smiled and kissed Shaka's lips to then move inside the room.

"Just don't tell to our children."

"Do you mean Agora and Shiva?"

"Of course!" Ikki laughed holding Shaka's hand. "C'mon, my warrior, I'm really tired."

"Yes, my phoenix." He again held him close enough to find his lips. "Let's sleep."

The door of the principal bedroom closed slowly before the lights began to turn up. It wasn't a servant, but Agora and Shiva who were going back after spending some time with Dohko. They were happy that his master decided to enjoy his own birthday instead of just be a grumpy saint all day.

Both students give each other a good night kiss and hug to go to their room. After all, was midnight now and September 20th was arriving.