A/N: Thanks so much to anyone who read the first chapter and especially to my reviewers! This time, whoever reviews will get a special, virtual Furuba-related present as a reward! XD (Sorry, but I really do need more reviews so I can know if I should continue this fic or not.)

Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Please note: This chapter is from Ayame's POV. I decided that the story is going to alternate chapter by chapter between Mine's POV and Ayame's POV.

CHAPTER TWO:

"Hahaha! Tori-san, you filthy pervert; you're becoming almost as bad as Shigure! Of course, I don't blame you. I surely would've reacted the same way if I had seen Tohru wearing such a scandalous outfit," I bellowed through my cell phone as I drove home from a client's house. I had to make a personal delivery to him because he was ill and on bed-rest; I had a good feeling that seeing his wife wearing the nurse's uniform I made for her would help him feel better, though.

Ha'ri sighed on the other end. "And what way would that be? All I said was that she looked very beautiful tonight and Yuki was lucky to have such a lovely date to the dance. How is that perverted?"

"Oh, it's not what you said; it's how you said it! You sounded positively tongue-tied, stuttering, tripping over your words…!"

Instead of addressing my (obviously accurate) accusation, Ha'ri darted the subject and said, "And how is a cocktail dress 'scandalous'? I think you may need to check your definitions on some of these terms you love to throw about."

"Well, why don't you teach me the correct definitions then? You always were a wonderful tutor," I hissed flirtatiously.

A couple seconds of silence passed before he replied with a painfully ineloquent: "Ugh…Aya…s-shut up."

I began to chuckle heartily and victoriously. "Positively tongue-tied again! This must be a record for you, Tori-san!" I laughed a bit more until I pulled into my driveway, at which point, I stopped laughing. And talking entirely.

"You know, I'm not 'tongue-tied', that's another…"

"Hey, Ha'ri, can I…call you back?" I asked, interrupting. I immediately felt bad about cutting him off like that, but…

"Oh. Well, yes. That's fine. Is everything all right?"

"Yes, yes, everything's fabulous. I just…have something to take care of," I answered, quite mysteriously!

"Hm. All right, then. I'll talk to you later."

"Buh-bye! I'll call you tomorrow!"

"I won't be waiting."

I smiled affectionately and hung up the phone. I then turned my attention back to the sight that had shocked me into speechlessness in the first place. Mine-chan.

I could see her through the window, sitting at the dinner table, all dolled up in a positively fabulous dress—one that could even rival my very best designs! It was made of silk, as far as I could tell, and of a rare, beautiful champagne hue; cinched tightly around her little waist, but flowing gracefully down from there, all the way to her delicate ankles; rosy jewels adorned the one strap that was holding the dress up on her body; and the top showed just enough cleavage, quite enough to get my blood flowing but still classy and lady-like, of course! And her make-up; Mine never really wore that much make-up! How the eye-shadow brought out her eyes! And her eyes…where were her glasses?

I immediately got the feeling that this was not going to be just an ordinary night of ordering in pizza and watching "Project Runway".

For a few minutes, I just sat in my car and watched her. She hadn't seen me pull in, I surmised, because she hadn't once glanced my way and she kept anxiously glancing at the grandfather clock in the kitchen (yes, a bit of an odd place to put a grandfather clock, and that was precisely why I put it there when I first moved in). I realized that she was waiting for me, but yet I didn't walk in just yet…It was simply too much fun to just stare at her from afar, memorize and admire her beauty without fear of being transformed.

Yes, even when we weren't physically close enough to warrant such a fear, I still felt it. Even when we were standing at opposite ends of the room, I always wondered if one day I'd be staring at her and she would catch me, smile shyly, approach me…and I'd be too captivated to stop her from wrapping her arms around me! That was my greatest fear: that I would lose my sense and my control, if even for a moment, and all would be lost. If Mine saw my true form…How could any woman be expected to live with that? Even my own mother couldn't see past it.

Of course, Mine was really nothing like my mother. While my mother held permanent coldness in her heart, Mine's held nothing but warmth. While I rarely saw my mother smile genuinely, I rarely saw Mine frown genuinely. While my mother would slap me any time I tried to talk to her, Mine listened to my every word. While my mother couldn't stand the sight of me, I had never seen more love in someone's eyes than when I saw Mine looking my way. While my mother thought I was nothing, Mine thought I was everything.

But the difference was: my mother knew my other form, she had known since the moment she first tried to hold me in the hospital, and Mine had no idea...

After a few minutes of contemplation, I knew that I couldn't keep my lovely lady waiting any longer. I still hadn't the slightest idea of why she was so dressed- and made-up, and I tried to think up possible reasons in my head as I walked to my front door. A big announcement, perhaps? She's pregnant! Oh, wait...Hahaha! Hmmm…she got a promotion at work! Oh, wait…Hahaha!

I opened the door and she immediately jumped up from her seat at the table, her big brown eyes so cutely wide with…fear? "Aya! You're here!"

"Of course! I'm terribly sorry for my lateness; I assure you, it won't happen again!" I exclaimed as I took off my yellow raincoat and hung it on our coat rack.

"Lies, lies!" she laughed. "But it's okay. You're always worth the wait!"

"Truer words have never been spoken!" I grinned, closed my eyes, and nodded proudly. I then opened them again slowly. "Except for these: you look gorgeous tonight, Mine-chan."

She stepped back, suddenly timid and shocked. I'm not sure why though! I flattered her all the time with my carefully-crafted and poetic sweet nothings! Yes, she usually blushed a bit when I gave her even the smallest compliment, but she seemed on a whole different level of nervousness tonight. "Oh, Boss, I don't know about that!"

"Oh, don't be modest! The brand new gown, the hair, the make-up…You're making me feel underdressed, and that's quite a feat! Hahaha! But seriously, Mine, what is all this about? Did you merely get the urge to dress up? It's a valid one, and an irresistible one, so I would understand completely…"

"No. No," she said, looking away unsurely. "I…well…" She then looked up and smiled animatedly. "Why don't we sit down first?"

"Oh…okay!" I agreed, beginning to feel nervous myself. We took our usual seats at the table, but it felt like we were dining in a fancy restaurant rather than my living room, what with all the candles Mine had lit in the center of the table and the scent of roasted chicken wafting in from the kitchen.

I waited for her to explain the situation but she just sat there, smiling. We stared awkwardly for a moment before I decided to break the silence with a hearty: "All of this is just beautiful, darling. I've never had someone prepare a dinner like this for me before…all the work you've done tonight, why it touches my very soul!"

"I'm so happy to hear that! I wanted it to be perfect for you! Because…" She took a deep breath and I could see that she was shaking slightly.

"Mine? Are you all right?" I wanted desperately to go over to her, wrap my arms around her and stop her shaking, but…

"Yes. I just wanted to say that…I wanted to make tonight perfect for you because…because you're perfect for me!" After saying it, she blushed worse than she had all night and covered her ever-reddening cheeks with her hands. I could feel my own cheeks growing warm with embarrassment, a condition that was only worsened by the fact that she then reached out with her free hand and took hold of mine across the table. She slowly lowered the other hand, though her cheekbones were still highlighted with pink. "Ayame, I…I was wondering…"

My heart rate suddenly increased. Is she…? Could she be…? No, she wouldn't…Would she?

"Ayame…will you marry me?"

I sat there in silent astonishment after the question had been asked. Mine had proposed to me. She wanted me to be her husband. In about thirty seconds, myriad thoughts weaved their way throughout my mind. She'd find out about your true form! Akito would never allow it! And even if he did, you'd never be able to have sex! You'd never be able to have children! Your life together could never be normal!

"Ayame?"

I looked up at her and squeezed her hand. How was I going to say this to her? I searched the deepest alcoves of my mind for the right words and was so thankful when they came to me: "Of course!"

Wait…what?