Halfway through writing this I remembered that I should be using feminine pronouns for Akito, since it's set in the manga and not the anime. If you see any pronoun trouble in here, let me know. (Thanks Twill, for bringing that one bit to my attention!)

And contrary to what my stories so far may lead you to believe, Hatori really isn't one of my most favorite characters, he just happens to be a common factor between my two most favorite characters. For this one, I didn't want to do the entire thing from Ayame's POV for certain reasons, so that left Hatori.

'Are you nervous?' It was a question asked rather casually, but with most things asked of this person, the response was flurried and excited.

'Ah, no! Not at all. Alright, a little, but I am fully entitled to be! I was much younger the last time we did this, after all, and have I told you yet how much that outfit suits you '

I sighed a little. Ayame always seemed intent on testing the limits of my patience, even if it was unintentional. 'You have. Several times now, in fact.'

'Perhaps that is because I cannot get over how well it suits you, Tori-san. It's almost a shame that it wasn't yours truly who made it for you. That would be my most praised creation if it was!'

My response to this was silence. This was a formal gathering and it wouldn't do any good to encourage his hyperactivity now.

It was once more New Years', and all the Jyuuniichi, Kyo excluded, were gathered for the private ceremony for only those cursed with the animal spirits of the zodiac and the emperor to oversee it. It was the Year of the Snake, and as such I would be dancing with Ayame during the finale and close of the ceremony. Currently we were dining in out proper seats; Akito as always, sat at the head of the table with Ayame representing the new year to her right, and myself, the old year, to her left. Next year, Ayame would sit where I did then and it cycled.

Which meant, no matter what, I always sat next to, or across from Ayame.

Every year was a trial.

So on Ayame chattered, hardly seeming to notice or perhaps he didn't much care about his proximity to Akito, but the family head did not comment on or reprimand Ayame's rather boisterous behavior, and didn't in fact say anything at all as she watched everyone else eat, not taking anything for herself. This meant that, later in the evening, after the celebration, I would have to get her to eat something.

Every year was the same.

As the evening progressed, Ayame seemed to exponentially grow more excited the closer it came to the time of our dance. Dinner concluded, and everyone moved into the adjacent hall. Only Ayame and I stayed behind to make sure we were completely prepared. When everyone was gone, Ayame stood, suddenly quiet, and adjusted his elaborate uniform almost feverishly, and he did look a little more pale than usual.

I recalled the last time it was turning to the Year of the Snake. If I remembered correctly, he had behaved in a similar fashion, but the following year when he was to dance with Isuzu, he was as at ease as it was possible for him to be. It wasn't something that I thought much about then; gradeschool years are always turbulent, and there were other things to think about then, but now it stood out quite clearly. It was very unlike Ayame to act this way, there were so few things that fazed him, and none that I could put my finger on at that particular moment in time. I decided to voice my concern, but as casually as I could. It would worry him to know I was worried, because he knew I tended not to fret over things, though I was not quite as… informal as he and Shigure.

'Something bothering you?'

Ayame turned to face me. 'Does this suit me?'

I stared at him for several long moments, at first not entirely sure what he meant by that, but then realizing he meant the uniform, it struck me as a typical sort of thing he'd say. It didn't quite seem like that was it though… he still seemed a little too nervous for that. I answered simply, to appease him. 'It does.'

'I thought so,' He said in his usual loud manner. 'While once more it's a shame I didn't make this, for you approve of it, I'm willing to tolerate it.' He added, 'I like it too.'

While it was true that he was looking for approval, it seemed somehow more deep seated than just his attire. I would not press. If it was something truly important to him, he would most certainly tell me, for he certainly shared a fair amount of arguably trivial concerns at best.

I stood and started towards the door to the hall where the others waited. Ayame was a little slower in following, careful in his steps. I paused before the door, and he came up beside me. I stole a glance at him, and as he stood there, waiting by the door, there was… apprehension in his features.

What was he so worried about?

This really was not like him at all. Public performances were his daily domain. He made a point of making this so, but somehow this was different for him?

I opened the door. All faces turned our way. Music rose in the air of the hall.

In a practiced way, I took his hand and brought it up to eye level, leading him, the new year, into the hall of the Jade Emperor. Once we were more into the center of the hall, I guided him until he faced me.

So rarely did I see him with such a serious expression…

We bowed to each other, and the queue in the music came to begin. I took his other hand and the dance began. He closed his eyes, and acted almost as though he didn't know all the movements by heart; his motions were mere instants behind mine, as though letting me lead. I didn't much see the faces of the others, because the dance partners were meant to look only at each other, but the expressions were little different from how they were every year, save Akito…

Akito did look rather upset.

She must have seen something that I had not. No movements made by either of us had been wrong, and we concluded the dance flawlessly, but still Akito looked simply incensed. It was the subtle expression that almost always played over her features before she flew off the handle. She stood…

All looked at her, rising with her.

She left. Just as simple as that. Nothing other than that happened, she only stood and walked from the hall. We all looked at her as she left, every last one of us having recognized the expression, save Ayame who had his eyes closed at the time.

He opened them now, wondering what the sudden silence was, whatever his apprehension was completely gone from his manner. There was scattered applause from our small audience as they attempted to follow through with the close of the ceremony, but Akito's abrupt departure had already broken the basis of the ritual.

With little else to do, everyone else also left, all returning to their respective homes, Ayame and I leaving to get changed.

Already, I was resigned to whatever it was Akito was preparing, and still I could not fathom what went wrong. We did all that was necessary, yet no more than that. Exactly as it should be.

Changed, I started towards the main house, and I doubted I'd be able to persuade her to eat anything this night.

What had she seen that I had not…?