A/N: To the people that shows interest in this story, my sincere apologies for taking so long to update. I have no excuse other than being a really slow writer. This one goes to Intensify, for she wondered how the other boys would react to the whole Seiya/Shaina thing. This is not really what this chapter is about, but it has some of it. Big love to you, my readers, I hope you enjoy.

A bit of comedy this time.

Desclaimer: Just like the last time, I still own nothing of Saint Seiya.

6.

You know everything about my life, although I can't help the urge to tell you all. Every day I wake before dawn and walk the seashore, looking for the right spot. Then I speak to you until the sun claims his domain on Earth, forcing the retreat of a deservedly tired moon. In the time between, neither your brother nor your sister can compel their influence over mortals. He wakes while she goes to sleep… and I know this is the time of the day when I can speak to you without their intrusion. At that brief moment, the thriving energy of a day about to be born drones in my ears and crawls over my skin, making me shudder in expectancy for the silent scream of creation.

Too powerful…

Joyously intoxicating in its pureness.

At this hour the day is unpolluted by noises and human thoughts. I know you can hear me then, I can feel it inside my bones.

-----

She knows where I go, never asks but sometimes comes looking for me. Then we would walk in companying silence, or throughout nonsense chitchat, and at times she has her mischievous-mode on, and teases me until I find myself chasing after her, faking a scorn fury and pledging my revenge. Of course I always catch her, she wants to be caught.

All these years she has known where to find me. I wonder who told her in the first place, and always tells. Maybe she just finds out herself, or maybe is that damned witch-foresight of hers. Or maybe you are the one that tells her… Don't know… and don't really mind if she finds me.

In fact, I look forward to it.

-----

I came back home after my morning walk, not really knowing what to expect. The day before, I found her spread on the couch. She was hearing a tacky talk show on the TV while reading one of Shun's Buddhism books.

A day before that, I found her sound asleep in the very spot I left her earlier.

Back then, I found myself eager with anticipation of getting to know her, as well as to discover the intricacies of the life of the not-single. I wondered if every day would be about something different (which was an exciting thought), or if we would quickly fall into an easy routine (which was a somehow comforting thought). One thing I knew: it would be a way of life entirely different from the one I used to know. A new life, I could say.

My small house welcomed me with the smell of something cooking, and with a sight I certainly did not anticipate, but worthy of all my appreciation. There was my Romanesque nymph, her messy green hair pulled back in what pretended to be a pair of pigtails, and dressed only in my shorts and sleeveless red T-shirt. Gods! If she knew how to undo a man! I laughed in my mind while I searched for her where she was facing my old stove, holding a spatula in her hand while she stared entranced at something sizzling on the skillet.

"What are you doing?" I whispered to the back of her neck.

She turned and looked at me with the 'what does it look like, genius?' stare.

"Mmmm, pancakes!"

"Right." She went back to what she was doing, I had the impression that she didn't want to talk to me. I wondered if my early walks were making her upset. I really didn't want her to suffer because of me, but old habits are hard to break, and I wasn't supposed to change everything in my life because of her, or was I? I mean, she seemed to be Ok with having to leave her house, and wasn't showing any uncertainties about what would happen to her duties as a Saint. Or maybe she was, and that was what had her all fussed. I guess we had to talk about those things, eventually. The problem was I didn't really have that much experience with women, and had no idea where to begin. Well, maybe showing some interest will be a good start. I decided to address the subject in a delicate way; I've heard sometimes women are really sensitive to what one says.

"Are you mad at me, or what?" Way to go Seiya, very subtle of you.

She turned to me again, this time her stare was one of the 'throwing daggers' kind. Her eyebrows were touching, not a good sign. "Do I look angry to you?!" She barked.

"No! Nononono, no!" I waved my hands, backing off. "I didn't mean that, no way!"

"Aha… Then?"

"Is just that you are… you know… kind of quiet. And I… was wondering if I… did something wrong? That's it."

"Oh." She went back to flip a pancake. "I'm fine, don't worry". She said, but her voice was telling me different. I knew something was bothering her. Well, maybe it was time for plan B: confession. I went to sit in a chair, next to the small kitchen table, and breathed deep. "I went for a walk, Ok? I do that every morning… didn't think you would mind".

"I don't".

"You don't."

"Of course not, you've doing that for years, why should it matter to me now?"

"So, you know… and don't mind."

"You're life is not a mystery, no one's life is a secret here."

Her voice sounded easy, I could be almost certain that what she was saying was the truth. I felt relieved, but still didn't know what her problem was. So, maybe I just wasn't asking the right question. I would give it one more chance; if this didn't work I would drop the subject. "There's something I can do?"

She smiled warmly at me. Yes! I got it right! Who said I wasn't smart? I have my moments too!

"In fact, yes. You can set the table."

Well, not what I was thinking, but something outdoes nothing. I went looking for a couple of plates and placed them on the table. I heard something hitting the floor and turned to find her picking up the spatula. She stared at the tool in frustration, then she went to drop it in the sink. "Seiya?" she asked.

"Yes?"

"Did someone say something to you today?"

"Someone? Like who? Say what?"

"Nothing. Forget about it." I got it then. She was worried about what people would be saying, I should know, even if she said she didn't care. Of course she would care. But she seemed to be expecting it from a particular someone. She stood before the sink, her sight lost to something far beyond. Who's opinion on her could be worrying Shaina? There was only one person I could think of.

"Do you have another of those?" She asked, aiming to the offended kitchen tool.

"Yes, I think I do… eh… what's that smell?"

"Oh, shuts!" She cried, and ran to turn off the stove. She stared at a group of very dark, smoking pancakes. "This is just great!"

"Hey, not a big deal" I smiled to her, but she wouldn't look at me. She leaned her back against the kitchen counter and shuddered. Soon enough she was sobbing, covering her face with her hands. Oh Gods! Now what? I went to her, taking her hands in mine and away from her face. I pulled her gently and tried to walk her to the couch. It was just a few steps (a good thing about having a small house with a single kitchen-dining-living-room), but she wouldn't move so I had to carry her. I put her down and sat at her side, then pulled her closer to me, letting her head rest on my shoulder while I stroked her hair.

"What is it?" I whispered into her hair, "My Shaina wouldn't break down to a couple of burnt pancakes. Please, tell me what's going on."

"Am I your Shaina?" She whined.

"Damn straight you are." I teased. "That good with you?"

"Yes, I suppose…" She looked at me, wiping her eyes. "But, I don't know what to do. All my life I knew how I was meant to act and what was expected from me. Now I'm lost."

I was glad she finally was talking to me, but I had the feeling of that there was something beyond this insecurity. I thought maybe she would tell me, when the time was right, so I decided not to push her further. "I know what you say. I'd been like that for a while, I think we both have, but you persisted longer in your duties as a Saint. This time I really think our time as Saints is coming to an end… It's the only reason I can make my brain figure out. I think this is the only way I have to keep on living and sane. Sort of, anyway."

She laughed a little. "Yes, I guess you're right".

"I think I am. And… these last days… I think I can see life from a different perspective. I feel alive when you are close. You are good to me."

I kissed her eyes.

"I want to be good…"

And her cheeks.

"…to you."

And then her lips… and then…

"Seiya!" I heard a worried yell coming from the outside, "is everything O - … -k…" that quickly changed into an uncomfortable whisper. I turned my head towards the front door, just in time to see a very red Shun drop his bags… and his jaw, "Oh… I… Good morning Miss Shaina." Right behind him, the tall and blond Mrs. Shun walked in, ginning with wicked amusement. "See, I told you something was smoking."

Shaina jumped away from me, cornering herself in the farthest edge of the couch. "Hey, Shun", I said while I tried to straighten my shirt. "Didn't expect you so soon."

"That much is quite obvious." June chuckled.

Shaina hid her face under a cushion. Shun grabbed June's hand and dragged her into his bedroom. I sat there, still and silent.

"Are they gone?" I barely heard from under the cushion.

"Aha."

She sat straight at my side, and didn't move. I held her hand. We both stared at an undefined something in front of us, without saying a word. Then the voices from the next room called our attention.

"See? I told you they would hook up before we came back!"

"Shhhh, June! Keep it down!"

"Oh no, Mister, I was right! You owe me twenty bucks!"

"But you don't know for certain…"

"She's wearing his undies, for Pete's sake!

"Whatever you say, but please… lower your voice."

"Ok, I'm going to talk to Shaina now, she has a lot of things to tell."

Shaina jumped from her seat, whispering "Tell her I dropped dead." And then she ran away. A couple of seconds later June appeared in front of me.

"Where is she?"

"Says I should tell ya she's dead." I answered.

"And you are some gentleman, aren't you. Never mind, I'll find her."

I held my head with both hands, and laughed. Shun plopped on the couch, at my side. "Oh Gods… Sorry about that."

"No worries dude, not your fault." Not directly, anyway. Nothing of this would ever happen if he hadn't decided to get married, and June wouldn't make Shaina wear a dress. I wondered if it wasn't all a conspiracy plotted inside a certain blond head. Now she had us all at her mercy, the evil lizard-girl. I laughed some more, and made a mental note to ask her someday... and also to thank her. "Do you think we should go after them?" I asked.

"I wouldn't dare." He mumbled, still a bit mortified. I don't know why, really, I was the one that was caught in the middle of something.

"Yeah, me neither." I sighed. I stood up and stretched.

"I don't think June will be mean to Miss Shaina." He said, not a lot of confidence in his voice.

"A tough girl, that one. Don't ever let her think you pity her, or you'd have to deal with her rage." I smiled fondly at my brother.

"I know… I have one of those too." Shun smiled back. Then he went to the stove and poked the burnt pancakes with a wooden spoon. "It seems like a perfectly nice skillet found its end. How sad," he complained.

"Sorry, I'll get you a new one." I found the pile of good pancakes and remembered how hungry I was. Poured syrup on them and started to dig in. I sat at the table and turned back to Shun. " 'ant 'fome?" I asked with my mouth full.

"No, thanks, already had breakfast." He sat across from me.

"So," I asked, after swallowing this time. "How did you like Italy?" In that instant I heard Hyoga's voice haunting me from inside my head 'not as much as YOU like the Italian girl'. Sweet Athena! He had the time of his life at my expenses, but that would be a few weeks later… I crossed that bridge when I had to. To speak the truth, I was more concerned about what Shiryu would say to me, but he proved me wrong when he only patted my back, a big smile in his face. I guess being a husband and father made him even wiser… If that was even possible.

"It was very nice." The cheerful answer brought me back from the reverie. He said nothing more for a few seconds, while he lowered his stare to his hands on the table; he was thinking hard, I could almost hear the buzzing inside his head. "Seiya… If… If I may ask…" Gods! Why he had to be so tact-obsessed.

"What about Shaina?"I finished for him.

"Well, yes."

"Let's say you do owe your wife twenty."

"Oh, Gods… Oh, Gods!" He covered his face with his hands, but did little to hide the blush.

"I asked her to move in," I told him bluntly, and then I quoted him in mocked shyness, "Of course I was planning to ask you, I don't want to impose."

Shun shook his head, letting out an annoyed chuckle. He rose and walked towards his room, but after a couple of steps he turned back and asked: "Are you happy, Seiya?" Dear Lady of mine… he was Ikki's brother, in his ways to mess with one's head, I mean. What could I say to him? I shrugged; a silly smile spread all over my face.

I didn't see him leave the room, as I went back to my endeavor of stuffing my face with the sweet and fluffy fare.

What's happiness, anyway?