Mei: Hey people. This isn't the best angst ever, but it is slightly. And it's not really mystery, but oh well… Please enjoy and review.

Disclaimer: I do not own Furuba or the characters.

More Than a Joke

By: Mei Hikari

It was a peaceful morning at Sohma Shigure's house. Everybody, except one, was happily asleep. The one awake, however, was finally fed up with Ayame's cocky attitude. So he decided to play a "harmless" prank.

Stupid Ayame! Finally getting what he deserves with his cocky attitude! He thought angrily, readying his scissors. He cut his hair. And without another word, he left the room and went to sleep.

In the morning, as Ayame sat up, he brushed his silverish hair back. His eyes widened and he let out a scream. Everybody ran up in a panic, screaming ", what's wrong?" or "what happened?"

"My… my…" He stuttered.

"What is it, Nii-san?" Yuki yelled running in last.

"It's my… my hair!" He screamed, running his hands though it in an attempt to see if it was really gone. "So short!"

"Oh no! It was fine yesterday! What happened?" Tohru yelled, running over, also running her hands thought his hair. Shigure ran over and hugged Ayame.

"It's fine! It'll gorw back! Don't do anything rash, Aaya!"

Ayame's eyes welled with tears, and he hugged Shigure back. It's only hair! Kyo thought angrily.

"Come on, Ayame-san…" Tohru said comfortingly. "Let's go have some breakfast now."

Ayame nodded and stood up. They all went down to breakfast; they all ate silently.

"I think I'll go to school now…" Yuki decided, breaking the awkward silence. He stood up, and started on his way to school.

"I'll come with you, Yuki-kun!" Tohru yelled after him. Getting their stuff. "Enjoy your meal," she told them politely and went after him. Kyo, also, decided to go to school and leave the awkward silence. So the 3 of them walked together, anxiety for Ayame growing with each step.

"I can't believe he's getting so depressed about his hair!" Kyo yelled.

"Shut up!" Yuki yelled back, punching Kyo hard in the face. "I bet you're the one who cut his hair in the first place!"

Maybe… Is Yuki-kun concerned about Ayame-san? Maybe that's why he seems in a bad mood… Tohru thought as they walked in to school.

Yuki was oddly depressed all day, Haru and Momiji apparently noticed and asked Tohru about it.

"Yes. It's just… Ayame-san's hair…" She told them, trailing off.

"What about Aya's hair?" Momiji asked.

"Somebody cut it, and he seemed really sad about it!"

Back at Shigure's house…

Ayame was trying to stylishly pull back his mid-neck length hair. "I hate my hair!" He screamed, failing once again. Defeated, Ayame went down stairs to see Shigure making tea.

"Hello, Aaya…"

"Hey, Gure-san…" The both tried to think of something to strike up a conversation with. Ayame picked something up off the table and retreated back to his room.

A week later…

"Yuki-kun," Shigure called, walking over to him.

"What is it, Shigure?" Yuki grumbled, still in a bad mood because of Ayame's new vent of depression.

"Aaya hasn't come out of his room for a whole week! I'm worried about him. I don't want to bother Haa-san if I don't have to, so I was hoping you could try and convince him to come out," he suggested. "Please?" He asked. Yuki looked at Shigure's eyes, tired from worrying, silently begging for him to.

"Ok," he agreed. He doubted it would work, but he needed to try, for Ayame's sake. He went upstairs and knocked on Ayame's locked door. "Nii-san? Are you in there, Nii-san?"

No answer.

"If you don't open the door, I'll break it down!" He shouted.

Again, he got no response. He sighed, and kicked down the door.

His eyes widened. Ayame dropped his knife, and stared at his younger brother, Eyes wide, Ayame pulled down his sleeve, covering the cute on his arms. Yuki ran over and ripped off Ayame's shirt, revealing several red cutes. Ayame pulled his arms to his chest and turned around.

"Why would you do something like this, Nii-san?"

"I'm ugly without my hair… I'm nothing without my looks… I'm so ugly without it! My looks were everything to me! They were all I had!" he screamed.

"That's not true," Tohru said from the doorway.

Yuki turned around. "How long have you been there?" He asked, shocked.

"Yuki-kun, what you're doing for your brother is very sweet. You know Ayame-san isn't ugly, right?"

"Of course he isn't ugly!" Yuki said, trying to figure out her plan. Tohru kneeled in between Yuki and Ayame.

"The Sohma's are full of beautiful people. A simple haircut couldn't destroy your beauty, Ayame-san."

Ayame smiled. "Ok, I guess… It isn't that bad."

Shigure walked in, smiling. "That's right, Aaya! You're beautiful!"

"Thank you… I'll grow my my hair back, twice as beautiful! For now… I'd like some time alone…"

Everybody agreed and left. He was alone, until Kyo walked in. "I… I'm sorry, Ayame."

"You… You were the one that cut my hair?" He asked, his hand slowly moving towards his knife.

Kyo nodded slowly, and turned around, ready to leave before Ayame started yelling. "Wait! You need to be punished for you wrong doing!" He yelled, standing up and putting on his shirt again.

Kyo turned back to him. "Wh-what are you gonna make me do?" He asked nervously.

"You… You're going to be the living manikin of my shop!" He smirked.

Kyo's eyes widened. "But, Yuki's much better at that kind of stuff!"

"But he didn't do anything mean to me. So you're it now!"

"Feh! Fine!" He accepted. The only reason, of course, was to atone for his "wrong doing."

And Kyo was Ayame's manikin, until Ayame's hair grew back, of course.