It was New Year's. Festivals spanned the land, forging cheery paths through every city, including that of the Sooma households. Ayame had generously bestowed traditional kimono made by himself upon all favored to him within the family, Tooru included.

Unfortunately, Ayame had chosen to festoon himself by manner of a rather tastelessly flamboyant virgin girl's style kimono, neither of which virtues particularly befitted him.

The others of the infamous Mabudachi Trio were similarly outfitted, their faces immediately turning to self-deprecation and embarrassment at the very sight of their quite enhanced femininity.

So it was. The Trio sauntered under masses of wish-filled branches, their minds emotionally charged with reminiscences of years past. They had split from the boisterous group of Tooru, Kyou, and Yuki, in hopes of a more peaceful walk. It was far from peaceful. Although the three were silent, save for the swish of hair and kimono, and the occasional click of sandal to fallen twig, the silence was chaotic with unspoken thoughts.

Ayame walked in the center, Shigure on the left, Hatori on the right. Ayame saw each blade of disturbingly springy, yet scant grass bend forgivingly under his sandal. He felt his heart clench in nervousness, and his eyes follow suit. Ayame had expected this awkward silence. Here were the two obsessions of his heart, each more interested in the other than in him. Each of them inherently knew the deeply rooted politics of it all.

Ayame fingered the wish cards in his pocket. He had no choice but to sever the silence. He stopped suddenly, letting the other two continue on for a few steps before they turned back to peer at him inquisitively.

He gathered his cheer, smiling meaningfully as he pulled the three wish cards from his pocket. "This tree should do!" Ayame exclaimed joyfully.

Shigure beamed back, running to Ayame with his ever-present brush, pen, and ink jar set in hand. "Wonderful! I have a wish or two I wouldn't mind having granted!" He seized the green card and sat upon a tree root with the handle of his brush in mouth, pondering the wording of his wish. "Should I make it a haiku? I'm good at those! Hmm! I have it!

I wish that Aaya

Would not dress me like a girl

For the festivals."

Ayame felt laughter ballooning to the top of his threat, but instead chose to fake tears at Shigure's remark. "Aaa! Shii-chan, I slaved over that for youuuu! You are ungrateful!"

Hatori chuckled and stepped forward. "Aren't wish cards rather juvenile, anyway?"

Shigure's eyes flashed at Hatori. Haa-kun, you are never too old to hope for something! Are you so satisfied that you have not a dream left to speak of?"

Hatori answered this with a soft glare. "Shigure, you, you of all people should know how very far from satisfaction I am!"

"You are closer than you may believe." replied Shigure.

Ayame watched all of this with a wistful, yet outwardly amused eye, wishing that he was part of the banter. He took pen to pink card. It read:

"I wish for nothing

But for my cousins to love

Ever and onward.

-Sooma Ayame"

He threaded a green and black ribbon through the card, and carefully tied it amongst a forest of other cards, where it would be hard to find.

"What did you wish for, Aaya-kun?" Shigure inquired.

"I can't tell you that!!! It'll never come true, then! Okay, I'll tell you anyway! This is my wish:

I wish for more cloth

And pins and needles and stuff

And I want it free!"

Shigure shook his head and let out a high chuckle. "How like you, King Ayame! Though, you must realize that this is New Year's, not your birthday!" Shigure shook his head as Ayame let out a petulant, indignant noise. He soaked his brush in ink carefully, and poised it above the card carefully. Should he write it? A single drop of black ink splattered onto the paper. Yes.

He skillfully brushed out three hiragana on the card in his beautiful, balanced calligraphy. Ha…to…ri. His blood surging through his veins suddenly, he carefully signed his full name at the bottom. Pressing the card against his breast to hide the wish, he obtained a black ribbon from Ayame, and carefully tied it to the highest branch he could reach.

Hatori, seeing that the other two had already made their wished, seized the last card and ribbon. Black card, green ribbon. Ach… He hated using white ink! It was too much like paint. He grumpily wiped the brush clean on the back of his card. He dipped it in the ink jar, and froze. What should he write? He knew he had only one wish, but did he dare wish it?

He looked over at Shigure, who was incidentally looking back at him. Hatori felt his heart jump and his eyes widen. Shigure just looked at him confusedly, then wryly, clearly fighting off a half-smile.

Hatori only felt more puzzled. Was Shigure mocking him for not being able to think of a wish, or was he entreating him to indulge in his deepest wish?

He sincerely hoped for the latter. Oh, Shigure! A ripple as always. Hatori gathered his courage, and lifted his brush from the ink jar, shielding the card from the others as he wrote his wish on it. It read:

"Dearest Shigure,

I wish for your hallowed love,

Your soul, and your body.

-Sooma Hatori"

He threaded the ribbon through his card, gingerly hanging it in a spot away from Shigure and Ayame's sight.

Hatori then began walking back the way they came, toward Shigure's house.

"Wait up, Haa-san!" Ayame and Shigure called as they ran to catch up with Hatori.

Ayame feigned panting harder than he actually was. "You're so rude! Making royalty run… Feh!"

Hatori laughed and pushed Ayame to the side with his shoulder. Ayame huffed and sped on ahead of the other two. Shigure broke down into mirth, bending over to hold his stomach in laughter for a few seconds before continuing alongside Hatori.

"Funny, huh?" Hatori looked sideways at Shigure and wrapped his arm around his waist. "Just like Aaya."

Shigure jumped slightly at the feeling of Hatori's warm arm around his waist. What was Hatori doing? He shrugged to himself and decided not to fight it. Maybe he would get his wish tonight! He decided to chance leaning his head on Hatori's shoulder. It was worth it. He felt Hatori's silky hair brush against his ear, and his heart leaped in excitement.

Hatori felt Shigure's head on his shoulder. His eyes widened. Perhaps wish cards worked after all! He pulled Shigure in closer to him.

They walked the rest of the way back like that, as if they were a loving couple. They split only when in sight of the house.

They entered to find that dinner was just over. Tooru was coming from the kitchen, drying her hands on a towel after washing the dishes.

"Aaa! Sumimasen! Sumimasen! I am so sorry, I refrigerated your meals! I must go reheat them right now!" Tooru fretted.

Hatori stopped her. "It's okay, Tooru-chan! Shigure and I weren't that hungry, anyway! There's no need to trouble yourself. Right, Shigure?

Shigure nodded and beamed, his chipper self back once again.

Tooru sighed in relief, finished wiping her hands on the towel, and returned to the kitchen to put it back.

Kyou came clunking down the staircase gracelessly, and announced grumpily that "We're all gonna go see that stupid NANA movie that's out. You two coming?"

Shigure knew that he had to speak (or… not speak!) with Hatori alone. He had to think fast. He feigned a huge yawn, and said in a sleepy voice "Oh, I don't know, I really overdid it last night… I think I better just hit Hatori's… I mean the sack. What do you think, Haa-kun?"

Hatori shook his head violently to clear his head of what Shigure just "misspoke". "Eh, I have better things to do."

Kyou simply wore his signature scowl, accused them both of being geezers, and stomped out the door after calling up the stairs for the others to "get off their butts and out the door".

Soon the house was desolate, save for Shigure and Hatori, both standing awkwardly in the front hall.

"Better be going." Hatori mumbled in his honeyed low voice as he reached for the door handle. Shigure was by him in a second, seizing Hatori's arm, preventing him from pushing the door open. He slid his other arm across Hatori's stomach as he re-locked the door with the first arm.

"Where do you think you're going, Haa-kun?" Shigure murmured into his ear.

Hatori tensed up immediately, his heart beating exponentially faster. "Shii… What are you doing?!" said Hatori breathlessly.

"I asked you fi-irst!" Shigure replied wryly. Hatori could hear the grin spreading across his face in his voice.

Hatori gulped. "Well, I was going to go to my office, but as of now it appears that I am not."

Shigure nuzzled Hatori's neck lovingly. "No, you're not. I'll tell you where you're going, mister! Straight to bed, where I'll explain exactly what I'm doing…"

Hatori's heart beat yet faster, and he felt the impulse to do something unexpected. "Why bother walking all the way there?" He used all his strength to break from Shigure's grasp and wrap him in his own arms. He looked deeply into Shigure's pretty, surprised, dark chocolate eyes before pulling him in even tighter. He grazed his lips against Shigure's, feeling the adrenaline spread from his lips, across his skin, and down to the seat of his manhood. He felt it rise and harden, bumping against Shigure's warm, pulsing erection. As it turned out, they both had gone commando under their kimono. Their erections poked from the slits of their kimono, rubbing naked against each other, throbbing incessantly and growing harder by the second.

Hatori's heart was screaming with desire. He pulled Shigure into a deep, passionate, tongue-twining kiss for as long as he could hold his breath. When they both came up for air, Shigure gave Hatori the most meaningful look he had ever seen in his life, and said this:

"Hatori!!! For you, a ripple I am no longer! Peer into the lake, for my waters are clear for you! I am a koi of the lake, a stone thrown in, a white tsunami raised high above the waters! For you, my heart is bare and throbbing! I love you, Hatori! Take me now, my love, for it is right that it be wrong!"

Hatori kissed Shigure once again, devouring his candied lips… Savouring the delicacy of his tongue as he pushed Shigure to the floor. Through the sheer might of his desire, he tore off Shigure's kimono in one swipe, leaving it in shreds on the floor. He did the same with his own. "I suppose I am not so far from satisfaction after all." He said as he gazed upon Shigure's body.

Shigure gasped in shock and delight. This godly creature! So beautiful! He ran his hands through Hatori's silken hair, across his delicate jaw line, stroking his soft, full lips before continuing down his torso, tracing every line of musculature down to his erection, which he seized savagely, all the while staring into his gorgeous pale eyes.

Hatori groaned, a tinge of wildness escaping into his voice. A bit of hot fluid dripped from his erection, rolling slowly down the shaft of Shigure's penis.

Shigure smiled and threw his head back in pleasure, his hair splaying across the floor in a fan of shiny pearlescent strands. Hatori looked lovingly over the form of Shigure before moving forward and pressing his throbbing piece to Shigure's lips. Shigure simply looked at Hatori suggestively before taking it in and pushing Hatori over backwards so that he was facing his penis.

Shigure smiled through his mouthful. "Who's my little acrobat, eh? I suppose all those martial arts classes in high school paid off after all!"

They continued as they were for a good hour until their muscles shook and their bodies glistened with sweat in the soft orange light coming from the kitchen.

When they both were on their absolute last legs, and about to transform, Hatori found the strength for one last acrobatic feat. From the position he was in, he got into a handstand, flipped over backwards, and set Shigure on his lap in one swift motion. With no warning, he roughly grabbed Shigure's penis as he rammed his own into his back. They both screamed in pleasure as they climaxed together, just as the front door opened, and Tooru received a face full of Shigure's "home cooking".