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CAPITOLO III
When the little car stopped in front of the building, the five Bronze Saints went out. It wasn't so far from the shop, maybe just one square, but looked like another place. The streets were still looking old and the buildings had those old terracotta colours, but there was something in the air that make it feel more like a city than a little town. They wasn't totally sure what was it, but they decided to just move towards the red big building. It had three stages and Ikki was explaining that the last one was from him, the owner was the old man in the shop and he lived in the first stage. The second one was still empty but normally people would come and go after some months. Ikki took the bag from the fruit and helped Shun and Hyoga with their backpacks, and now the four were following him to a beautiful yellow door that was aside another blue door, the Phoenix Saint explained that was for the first stage. It had some beautiful decorations over a little window and Ikki opened without taking more. First there was a little room with some plants here and there to then find some stairs that lead to the second stage. They needed to be one in front of the other, leaving Ikki in the front and the only thing that would separate them were the baggage.
"Ok, guys, you can leave the baggage in the living room." Ikki said when opened the door from the third stage.
He got inside directly to the kitchen as their brothers were enter. Shun and Shiryu were first, to then let Hyoga and Seiya be the last one. The living room and the dinner room were connected but indeed was a big space even with some sofas and the table with six chairs. Then there was a kitchen bar to divide the dinner room from the kitchen, it had two funny pink chairs and the kitchen looked big enough to let two people cook without problem. At side there was a hall that lead to a bathroom, a laundry room and two bedrooms. But Hyoga, who was watching all the hall easily because decided to leave his things close to the kitchen, could realize there was entering light from some kind of room in the end of the hall.
The Apartment was indeed big enough for three person but that wasn't why they were surprised.
"What?" Ikki asked when came close to them after put the fruit in the fridge.
"Your apartment is so cool, Ikki." Shun smiled. "And clean... I mean, we were expecting... well..."
"Something like Hyoga's bedroom." Seiya said.
"Hey!" Hyoga pushed him. "What do you mean?"
"Your room in Saori's manor is always a mess, you need to admit."
The Cygnus was almost talking when he realized was true. He just sighed and took his backpack.
"Then let's keep his apartment clean." Hyoga smiled. "You are lucky you don't live with kids. Anyway, where can we leave our things?"
"I'm afraid I don't have a room for each of you like in the manor but... ah, damn." he said when his eyes found a door that looked like window that lead to a balcony. "Did I close it?"
The other four were in silence when he open it. Shiryu smiled and didn't want to get close to see the view. From there he could see over the houses that were in front and wasn't so tall, so he could see in the back there was a park with some kids playing and some dogs running here and there.
"It is beautiful." Shiryu took a deep breath. "It smells good, what it is?"
"The park has some trees and flowers so all the smell come here." Ikki said coming again close to the bar kitchen. "Anyway, as I was saying, we can see the park later. So, there is a guest room with two beds and some other two can sleep in my bedroom."
"Brother, are you going to sleep in the sofa?" Shun asked curious.
"Of course no." Ikki answered.
"You should sleep in your bedroom with Shun or Hyoga." Shiryu said. "And one will sleep in the sofa... I know who!"
"Seiya!" Shiryu and Hyoga said without hesitation.
"What?" Seiya looked at them. "That's unfair."
"I see it totally fair." Hyoga smiled. "Shun will sleep in a bed because is Ikki's brother, and I want a bed. Shiryu wants a bed too, don't you?"
"Of course." Shiryu smiled as he turned to lead himself to the balcony and see there was a three close and the roof of a house was close too. "So, Seiya sleeps in the... ah!"
Suddenly the four of them turned to see how Shiryu moved towards as something scared him. He took a deep breath and then a black cat with deep blue eyes entered to the house running. Shun and Seiya moved close to the door and Hyoga moved to the hall seeing how the cat jumped to a book shelf that was close to them. Ikki laughed because of this and moved seeing how the cat began to hide in between the books even leaving some of them fall.
"Come here, you asshole." Ikki said as his hand moved inside the holes the cat leaved. "Look at this mess, stupid."
As he was doing that, Shun came close to hold the books. Some where in Italian, other in Greek and Japanese, but he could spot one that looked in a different language. He was seeing very close and opened just to find a handwritten message in the first page.
"Here you are, you piece of cat shit." Ikki laughed taking the cat and holding him close. "I know you wanted to enter, but don't do that."
"It is your cat?" Shiryu asked.
The Phoenix was almost answering when he turned to take the book Shun was reading and closed it. The other didn't see anything weird in this because Ikki placed it again in the book shelf, but Shun could see he was surprised and a bit angry about this.
"Yes, he is." Ikki answered in the end as the Dragon Saint came close curious about the cat. "I normally leave a window or that door open when he goes out, but it looks like today I forgot it. You can touch it, just be careful." he smiled showing his arm that had some scratches. "He is a real son of a bitch."
"So, does it has name instead of asshole, stupid, piece of cat shit or real son of a bitch?" Hyoga smiled coming close too.
Ikki didn't answered but moved the cat's head to show it had a red collar in the neck and a name was writen down with black threads. Hyoga read the name and, without waiting more, he laughed very hard. The cat showed his teeth and made a noise that Shiryu needed to move his hand.
"You will scared him, duck!" Ikki said calming down the cat.
"Sorry, is just..." Hyoga was still laughing. "That name. Oh, it is so funny."
The other three saints didn't want to come close as Ikki was laughing a bit too and showed the collar. Shiryu and Seiya give a step forward to laugh and Shun just looked more worried about the cat. He smiled to it and held it. Indeed, his cosmos was enough to calm down even an animal, because the cat began to purr. Andromeda saw how the other were laughing and Ikki fixed the last books in the shelf.
"Brother? Why this name?" Shun asked. "Why did you called the cat 'Kanon'?"
Shun decided not to laugh because he couldn't find why it was so funny, plus he had a respect to this saint who, as the others, wasn't with them anymore.
The Phoenix smiled and come close to pat the cat.
"I found him in the trash inside a fish box. I tried to saved him but the asshole decided to attack me... and then licked my wounds." he moved the shoulders. "It was less than a minute that he decided to be my friend and not my enemy, of course I still receive some of his scratches and bites but just when is scared or wants to play with me." he then held the cat and came close to the kitchen. "Kanon was an asshole who attacked me and then we became friends. And he stinks like a fish. Oh, and please, don't forget the most important point..." Ikki leaved the cat in the bar and then placed a plate with some food on it. "I can say Kanon is my cat."
"Good one." Hyoga laughed coming close to caress the cat.
"Then, Hyoga and Shiryu can sleep in the guest room and Shun and Seiya in my bedroom." Ikki said opening the fridge. "You can rest and fix your things as I finish to prepare the dinner."
"I insist, you should sleep in your bed, Ikki." Shun said. "It is your house. I can sleep in the sofa."
"Oh, no!" Seiya come close to the fridge too. "I don't want to sleep with Ikki. I prefer sleep in the sofa."
"Ok..." Shun smiled. "Then I will sleep with Shiryu in the guest room."
As he said this, the other saw him. They were curious about this because wasn't he the closes to Ikki and his only blood related brother? The other were just half brothers, Shun had all the right to do so, but he decided to give his space to Hyoga.
"Are you sure?" Hyoga asked.
"Yes, yes. I mean, I see my brother more times than you, Hyoga." Shun pat his back. "I bet you have lot to talk."
Ikki saw him with the same expression. Then just smiled.
"Ok, then I take your word and I will use my own bedroom. About the sofa, lets see what Kanon thinks."
Seiya smiled and without hesitation, called the cat with sounds that, he would think, were for those kind of animals. And it worked. Kanon finished his food and jump to purr being at side of Seiya.
"Yes! He choose me! I will sleep in..."
"The sofa." Ikki smiled taking the cat and giving it to Seiya. "He loves you, you can sleep wit him in the sofa."
Pegasus just sighed and decided just to keep petting the little Kanon.
While the other took their things, suddenly heard Ikki's name coming from outside. He moved to see thru the balcony and waved his hand to someone.
"Come stai, signora Marchica?" the woman answered as well something the other guys couldn't hear but they indeed perceived another voice. "La mia ragazza magica!" Ikki smiled and shut it. "Aspettate!"
[ "How are you, mrs Marchica?" - "My magic girl! Wait a minute!" ]
When he turned and showed his face to his brothers, they were in silence. They never saw such happiness in his face, but in the same time a calm that wasn't easy to see in someone like Ikki. He didn't wait too long to move towards the door and, before open it, they could hear some barks over the balcony.
"Oh, she arrived too." he smiled to his brothers. "I need to present you two ladies I know you will love. One already loves you all."
He didn't say anything more, he just leaved the door open and they could heard his steps over the stairs.
"Two ladies?" Shun turned to see the others.
The Pegasus and the Cygnus were already seeing over the balcony, but was too late because the door open and couldn't see anyone. But the Dragon smiled taking one photography that was in the living room and showed to the others.
"I think I found one of those ladies, guys."
The other three were with big eyes. Maybe yes, but they couldn't recognized it. But in the way Ikki was kissing and hugging her, indeed that was the lady he was talking about. Andromeda, Pegasus and Cyrgnus just saw each other and the Dragon leaved the photography in it place when they heard the steps again, now faster than before and a bit too light. Suddenly, Kanon ran to the top of the table and lay down over it as he was expecting something. And indeed he was. A bit great danes entered running thru the door. The dog looked very excited and didn't wait to jump to the first one in the sight, who was certain duck.
"Oh! what is this horse?!" Hyoga said falling over the sofa and receiving thousand of kisses.
"She likes you!" Ikki laughed entering to the room holding a little backpack in his hands. He whistled and suddenly the dog sat down over Hyoga's stomach. "Athena, down!"
"Athena?" Shiryu said. "Oh, maybe another deep meaning of the name."
The dog moved to the floor and lay down. It was big enough to push Seiya from his place when Athena placed his head in the sofa to see Hyoga.
"Hi, babe." Hyoga winked to then laugh and pat the dog.
"Ah? No." Ikki said as he moved a bit to see someone coming from the stairs. "It is just because I can say Athena is my bitch."
"Nii-san!" Shun said a bit surprised and angry.
But his face calm down, and the others were now paying attention to the door. She smiled and held Ikki's hand. She looked a bit nervous but her eyes were shinning and her cheeks were red now.
"Buonasera... oh, sorry... konbanwa?" she then turned to see Ikki and once more to the other saints. "kalispéra?"
This was the lady of the picture, so they smiled back to her.
