Author's Note: Thanks for all the comments! Let's see if I can get Mine back in character…

Title: Ayame Sohma

Rating: PG

Spoilers: Episode 20 of the anime… and some other stuff…

Summary: Mine is Ayame's best friend. Will she be able to handle knowing his secret?

Disclaimer: I don't own Ayame (*sigh*), Mine, or anything else in Fruits Basket.

Setting: This story takes place after episode 20.

*** = setting change

italics = emphasis

italics = thoughts

~Happiness~

"Aya-chan!"

Ayame flounced into the front room. To his surprise and delight, Tohru, Kagura, and Kisa had come to visit. "What brings you all here today? Tohru-kun, do you want to buy a dress to wear for Yuki?"

Tohru blushed and shook her head no several times.

"Tencho, which type of lace would go better with—?" Mine stopped, seeing who was standing in the shop. "Tohru-chan!"

Tohru smiled. "Hello, Mine-san."

"Come, come!" Ayame said, ushering them all to the back. "I'm so happy you're all here!" He paused. "Too bad my brother didn't come with you."

After they had all seated themselves, Ayame asked, "So, why have I been given the pleasure of seeing my adorable cousins and princess Tohru-kun?"

"Kisa-san wanted to visit your shop," Tohru explained. "And Kagura-san said she'd only been here once and wanted to see it again. I thought it would be nice to visit Ayame-san again, so we came."

Ayame nodded. "I see. Anything I can do for you? A new dress, perhaps? A skirt? Robe? Blouse?"

Kisa spoke up shyly, "I'd like a new dress."

Mine's eyes lit up. "Let me dress you up! You're such a pretty little girl, I'm sure you'll look wonderful!"

Ayame interrupted, "Do we have anything in her size?"

Mine held Kisa at arm's length and considered for a moment. "The blue one!" she declared finally. "That'll fit!"

"Good thinking, Mine," Ayame said, smiling.

Mine noticed that his smile always reached his eyes. To her, that meant that Ayame didn't smile unless he meant it. He was sincere, even when what he was being sincere about was something strange. Mine loved seeing her boss smile. It made her happy. "Yay! I got complimented by tencho!" she said, pulling Kisa into another room.

Ayame asked Kagura, "How are things with you and Kyon-kichi-kun?"

Kagura smiled. "They're getting better. I think Kyo-kun's starting to accept me."

Tohru added, "Yes, Kyo-kun and Kagura-san's relationship is getting much better!"

"You really think so, Tohru-kun?" Kagura asked hopefully with her hands clasped in front of her.

Tohru nodded.

Ayame smiled. Kagura didn't know it, but she was one of Ayame's favorite cousins. She tried not to let things get to her, just like he did. She was also like Ayame in that she was perky most of the time. Ayame admired her because she never gave up on Kyo, even though the boy always refused her. Plus, she was just so darn cute!

"Ayame-san," Tohru said, "Yuki-kun wanted me to tell you that he'll visit you next week."

"Oh," Ayame replied. "Will you be coming too?"

"No," Tohru answered. "He said he was coming by himself."

"Excellent!" Ayame exclaimed, standing up in excitement. "My brother wants to bond with me! I knew he would come around!"

The two girls smiled. Kagura looked at her older cousin and remembered something. "Aya-chan, your birthday's coming up soon. What kind of present do you want?"

"Kagura-chan, you should pick out the present yourself," Ayame said in mock disapproval. "You want to surprise me, don't you?"

"Sorry, Aya-chan…"

He smiled softly. "It's okay. I don't care what you get me as long as it's from your heart." He put a finger to his lips. "Don't tell anyone else though. You can get me whatever you want, but the others have to think really hard about it."

Kagura nodded and grinned.

"Tencho, Kisa-chan's ready," Mine announced, appearing next to him.

"Great! Bring her in!"

Mine ushered the young girl into the room. Kisa was wearing a pretty, light blue dress. She smiled shyly and asked timidly, "How do I look?"

Tohru ran over to her excitedly and hugged her. "Kisa-san, you're so adorable!"

"Wonderful!" Ayame said. "Mine, congratulations on another job well done!"

"Thank you, tencho! I'm so happy that I'm worthy of your praise!" Mine smiled and asked, "Did you have a nice chat with Tohru-chan and Kagura-chan?"

"Yes. And guess what? Yuki will be visiting me next week! And he decided to come by himself!"

Mine clapped her hands. "Tencho will be able to spend quality time with his otouto-kun!"

"I knew Yuki would come around! No one is able to resist the magnificence that is me! Not even my stubborn little brother!"

***

"Goodbye, Ayame-san," Tohru said. She, Kagura, and Kisa were standing at the entrance to the shop. "I had a wonderful time."

"Goodbye, Ayame no oji-chan," Kisa said, looking up at Ayame.

Ayame bent down in front of Kisa and gave her a hug. "Feel free to come here whenever you want, Kisa-chan."

Kisa nodded.

Ayame stood up and hugged Kagura too. "Come again, Kagura-chan! You too, Tohru-kun," he said, letting go of his cousin.

"Bye bye!" Kagura waved as she and her companions exited the store.

Mine stood a few feet behind Ayame, wondering why she couldn't hug him, but his cousins could. Was it because they were family? Or was it something else?

The silver-haired man turned around to see his employee staring at him. "Mine, is something on your mind?"

Mine shook her head and said cheerfully, "Oh, it's nothing, tencho. I'm glad you had a good time with Tohru-chan and your cousins. I hope you and your brother get along as well when he visits again!" Maybe tencho only lets his family be that close to him.

***

Mine was sitting in the shop during the third week of November, working on an outfit. Suddenly, her employer walked in, and she quickly hid her work behind her back. "Tencho!"

Ayame asked concernedly, "Yes, Mine? Is something wrong? You seem nervous."

Mine shook her head repeatedly. "You just surprised me, that's all."

Ayame blinked and would have pursued the subject further, but a customer had entered the store and was asking for help. He went to talk to the customer, giving Mine a puzzled look as he left the room.

Mine exhaled, relieved. She put the outfit underneath a pile of fabrics. It wouldn't do for Ayame to find his birthday present before it was finished. (AN: *grin*)

***

"Ayame."

"Tori-san!" Ayame said excitedly, entering Hatori's office. "Tori-san, I'm so happy that you invited me here on my birthday!" (AN: Ayame's a Sagittarius, I believe.)

"I can't go to your party tonight," Hatori said, "but Shigure insisted that I get you a birthday present." He handed Ayame a wrapped box.

Ayame took the gift from Hatori. "Tori-san is so thoughtful! I'll open it later. I just know it'll be something nice! Thank you so much!"

"Happy birthday, Ayame."

Ayame asked curiously, "Why can't you go to my birthday party?"

"Akito's been feeling worse lately. I've been ordered to stay to take care of him."

Ayame sighed. "I really wanted you to come, Tori-san."

"I'll see what I can do," Hatori replied.

"Bye, Tori-san." Ayame headed to Shigure's house, which was to be the location of yet another Sohma birthday party.

***

"You wish Mine-san were here, don't you?"

Ayame was sitting by himself outside. Shigure had just come out to check on him.

Ayame looked up at the tall figure of his cousin and smiled. "A little."

Shigure sat down next to him. "Maybe next time, A-ya."

"I miss her, Gure-san," Ayame said. "I've never missed her this much before."

Shigure just nodded. Ayame would figure it out soon. "Come on, A-ya. Let's go back inside and have some fun."

Ayame followed Shigure back inside, where he gladly resumed his role as guest of honor.

***

"Bye, Gure-san! Goodbye, Tohru-kun, Yuki, and Kyon-kichi-kun!" Ayame said, waving to the residents of Shigure's house. "That was the best birthday party I ever had! Or was it the second? Oh, well, it doesn't matter! Goodbye, my dear friends!"

***

Ayame approached his apartment and noticed a familiar brown-haired person leaning on the door, half-asleep. "Mine?!"

"Tencho," Mine said sleepily, "I wanted to give you your present." She held up the outfit she had been working on for the past month. "Do you like it?"

Ayame stared. The long, robe-like outfit was done in the Chinese style that he liked. It was black and trimmed with gold and silver embroidery at the edges. The buttons were gold-colored. The most spectacular thing about it, however, was the design that Mine had made. Several silvery-white snakes had been carefully embroidered on the fabric. They stretched all over it, running across both the back and the front. Ayame lightly touched one of them in wonder.

Mine said bashfully, "I was going to put dragons on it, but for some reason, I thought snakes would suit you better. If you don't like it—"

'No, no. I love it," Ayame said, taking it from her hands. He snapped out of his trance, suddenly realizing that they were still out in the hall. "Oh. Mine, please come in," he said, unlocking his door.

"I hope it fits right," Mine said, sitting down on Ayame's sofa.

"I'll go try it on," Ayame said, rushing into another room.

Mine sat quietly. It had been painstaking work, but it had been worth it. Anything that made her tencho happy was worth doing. Besides, making clothes was what she did for a living. She enjoyed doing it.

A minute later, Ayame came back into the living room. "Well?"

Mine looked up. Ayame looked—perfect. His silver hair and golden eyes perfectly matched the colors of the outfit. The black material provided perfect contrast to the lightness of Ayame's natural coloring.

"Well? Do I look as amazing as I should?"

Mine smiled. "Tencho looks like a prince."

"Thank you, Mine. You're wonderful." Ayame wondered why he felt so lightheaded. Is this what love feels like? He had always been a romantic, but he had never felt quite like this.

Mine stood. "I should go," she said. "I just wanted to give you your present."

"Okay. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Mine left the apartment.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Author's Note: Dun dun dun! Cliffie! *sigh* And once again, out-of-characterness rears its ugly head… You know what? I don't think I get the characters wrong, exactly… I think I just show too much of the minor parts of their personalities… Do you think so? I don't know. Sorry that was so short… I just… couldn't do anything more…