Yay! A big thanks to all of the TWO people who have reviewed this so far. My undying love goes out to you. My Twill didn't even review it yet, and Twill reviews everything. I still love you, Twill, man!
Implore
It was strange when Akito seemed reassured by the fact that I didn't know what exactly it was that bothered her. I had asked about the dance, quite delicately, the following afternoon.
'You don't know?' She said, echoing my words with cynicism. 'There, you were there, closest, and you didn't s…' She trailed off, coming to a conclusion that must have suited her. 'Well that's good, then.' She said with a smile. It pleased her that I didn't know…
…which meant that someone was in pain because of it.
I silently resolved to find out whatever this was, though I wasn't entirely certain where to begin. It was likely that I could attempt to approach Kureno or possibly even Shigure at a later time, for Akito tended to confide in only them, but neither was terribly reliable when it came to revealing Akito's secrets. I believed it had something to do with the dance, possibly Ayame himself…
I would go see Ayame.
I must have seemed a little too intent on leaving when I turned to go, because Akito inquired as to my destination, with some degree of suspicion.
I could not lie to the head of the house. The repercussions would be too great later. 'I'm going to visit Ayame.'
'Really…? What for?' Again, her tone was laced with suspicion.
'Simply to see how he enjoyed the festivities last night.'
'Hm.' There was something in her eyes… she was calculating. It was there only a moment before she said rather dismissively, 'Do whatever you like.'
Ayame would not tell me what I needed to know.
If Akito was content with the fact that I didn't know, she wouldn't let me leave to find out unless she knew that I wouldn't. Or… that in finding out, the situation would get no better.
I left anyway. That place, Akito, and Kureno silent at the foot of the bed wore on me quickly in these sorts of situations. There was a stifling feeling of oppression. Very few things indeed did not go Akito's way, and judging by the swiftness of her decision, she was quite certain that all this would end the way she wanted it to.
I got into my car and simply sat there for several minutes, lost in thought. I now had to go and see Ayame, because Akito now would check with him about what we talked about. With a sigh, I started the car. Akito was a force present in every corner, every aspect of the family and its functions. This, I suppose, was only natural for the head of the family, but the length she goes to know all of the family business… it was totalitarian, the hold she had over the family, and Shigure was her secret police. Shigure told her everything that she could not, or would not, find out on her own.
I shook myself of these thoughts and started towards Ayame's apartment building. As stressful as spending time with Ayame could be, it certainly kept one's mind off of the darker things in life.
The door flew open, my very arrival somehow triggering some sixth sense in Ayame that exempted me from having to ring the doorbell. 'Tori-san! What a delightful and unexpected turn of events that brings you to my doorstep.' With a smile, Ayame stepped aside to let me in
'Oh, I'll take a moment to put on some tea.' Ayame vanished into the kitchen.
I removed my shoes, leaving them at the door, and found a place to sit in the living room. I hadn't been to Ayame's flat in a long time, though little had changed. It was surprisingly tame, compared to his rather extravagant personality, but still reflected his tastes; there were bright colours, intricate patterns and lace dominating the décor, but it fitted together nicely, creating a soft sort of mood. I remembered how warm the atmosphere was- it was quite far-removed from the wood and dark windows at the main estate.
Ayame returned, carrying a small tray which he set on the low table in the center of the room, and sat quietly across from me. 'What's on your mind?' He asked, pouring each of us a cup of tea, but giving me mine first.
'Ah, not much.' I replied, taking a sip.
'I know that isn't true,' Ayame chimed. 'You wouldn't come to see me unless it was important.'
What was implied by that statement…
It was unintentional, I knew, and it shouldn't even have bothered me. You wouldn't come to see me unless it was important... A small part of my mind alerted me to the fact that I almost avoided Ayame unless there was someone else present. I could count on one hand the number of times I had sought him, and this time was one of them. There were so few times where he and I were actually alone together, and somehow I had never really taken notice of that fact before…
'Tori-san? You are especially thoughtful today, it seems.'
I shook off the thought, deciding to go right to business. If I didn't, my thoughts would stray again. 'Akito was upset with our New Years' dance.'
Ayame blinked. 'Aah, neither of us… did anything wrong, I didn't think. We dance beautifully together!'
'So nothing was said to you about it?'
'Not at all, but if I wrote a formal composition of apology, that would be acceptable do you think?'
Ayame was breezing over the issue. He was fortunately one of the Jyuuniishi that Akito seldom had direct contact with. He had never done anything worthy of Akito's wrath, and basically just kept a quiet life to himself, however strange that life may have been. Ayame, in fact, was the Jyuuniishi who had been most successful at detaching himself from the family, though that also meant Yuki; his acquaintanceship wit Tohru was nothing more than that, though he thoroughly teased the subject to lead people to believe otherwise, he had not made any 'forbidden' attachments…
But then what reason would Akito have found to be irate with him now?
'I'm not sure, Ayame.'
'Tori-san, how big a deal is this…?' There was a notion of worry in Ayame's tone. Though he had done nothing himself, yet, he knew full well what sorts of things Akito was capable of.
'Again, that's not a question I can answer yet.' A part of me wanted to ask outright if there was anything bothering him about all this other than the obvious, but something was not quite right about that. 'There wasn't anything you noticed about the New Years' celebration?'
'Nothing I haven't done before.' Ayame's tone was strangely subdued. There was something bothering him after all…
I nodded and stood to leave, having finished my tea. Ayame would tell me if it was important, for after all, he told me everything else.
