Well...I have returned with another chapter! XP But, unfortunately I don't think I'll be able to finish before I go to college. I guess the last few chapters will just take me a little longer to write...

Hmmm, I missed most of my usual readers/reviewers last chapter. I hope there wasn't a problem with my writing that scared you all away! Or else there could've been a problem with this site(which is very possible! >. ) However, I suspect that, because I had to revise the chapter shortly after my original posting, some of the links in the alert emails did not work. If the link to my last chapter sent in the Story Alert did not work...yes, the chapter is posted...yes, the link to the chapter from this page should work...and, yes, it is rather important to go back and read it before continuing! It will just make more sense that way! ;)

Well, this is the longest chapter that I've ever written...I hope it isn't too boring! I'm unsure whether or not it is too wordy, or too long, or both. Please tell me what you think! Enjoy and review!

"Dearest Ritchan?" Ayame let his foot slide off of the sewing machine pedal, bringing the buzz of needle puncturing fabric to a momentary halt. Leaning back in his chair, he looked to the doorway, expecting his boyfriend to materialize in an instant. "Ritsu, love, will you please bring me the scissors?"

"Yes, Ayame-san," the redhead scurried into the room, dropping a box of fabric scraps as he fell into an apologetic bow. "I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting!" His hand plunged into a nearby drawer, producing the gleaming blades and rushing them to the snake's worktable. "I'm so sorry!"

"No need to worry!" The older Sohma reminded him, smiling as he embraced the other man's trembling body. Taking the scissors, he spread his fingers through the plastic handle, carefully trimming a stray thread from his present project. "Thank you, lover!" He pecked the blushing monkey on the cheek, giving his arm a squeeze before returning to work.

Flashing a shy smile, the cross dresser fidgeted slightly, biting his lip as he struggled to return the snake's affection. "Um, Ayame-san?" He squeaked, watching his boyfriend with timid curiosity. "That's very pretty."

"Oh! You think so?" The snake's heart leaped with joy at the other man's compliment. "Yes, yes, I believe it should turn out well." Waving his arm dramatically, he rose to his feet, pulling the dress out from under the machine and draping it in front of his cousin. "Well, when one of my most devoted customers called and requested something 'sexy, but still cute', I had the most fabulous idea!" He shook the lace ensemble so as to show off its pearly hue. "Though it's my expert opinion," he giggled, purring in the younger man's ear, "that you would look much sexier on you. He really doesn't have the legs for it!"

"Oh, ah, well, I, um, I'm not sure, Ayame-san," the redhead corrected him, flushing with nervousness. "I mean-."

"Well, then, I guess we'll just have to see!" Grinning slyly, the designer slipped his fingers around the other man's waist. "When I am finished, I will most definitely need a model to exhibit my creation. Will you try this on for me, sweet Ritchan?"

Ritsu fingered the lacy garment with appreciative eyes, sighing as he studied his boyfriend's expectant features. "I would love to, I mean, if that's OK with you."

"Oh yes," the snake winked, his tone dripping with charm. "That would be just perfect." Relaxing back into his chair, Ayame resumed stitching with new inspiration, his fingers flying over the hem as he imagined the soft curves falling around his boyfriend's form. 'Oh, this will be lovely on you, mon cher.' he looked to the corner in which the other man worked at reorganizing a box of fabric, 'simply fabulous. Perhaps I'll even have to sew another one just for you!'

Knock. Knock. "Ayame-san?" Mine peeked into the workstation, interrupting her boss's daydreams. Taking note of Ritsu's presence, she offered him a sweet smile before turning to readdress the older man, "Ayame-san, there's someone here to see you."

The silver-haired man sprang to his feet, rushing to her in his anticipation. "Someone with a special order, perhaps?" He ventured a guess, flouncing around the room as he looked to the front of the shop. "Somebody fun?"

"No, not a customer," Mine corrected him, trying to alleviate his disappointment with a broad grin. "Somebody even better! Your little brother's girlfriend!"

"Tohru-kun?" Both men said at once, exchanging excited glances.

The dark-haired assistant beamed at her boss. "Yes, yes, that's her!" She skipped in place, clapping her hands together. "She wants to tell you about a party she's having for Yuki-kun!"

"A party! How fabulous!" Laughing, Ayame grasped Ritsu's hand and helped him to his feet. "Come on, sweet Ritchan! We must find out more about this party!" He sashayed toward the front counter, waving frantically as he caught sight of the brunette. "Greetings, Tohru-kun!" He bowed, kissing her hand as if he were a knight greeting a princess. "What brings you here on this glorious occasion? Something about a party, I hear?"

"Hi, Ayame-san!" She giggled, blushing slightly as she retracted her hand. Looking behind the flamboyant snake, she noticed the monkey clinging meekly to his robe. Her eyes widened with pleasant surprise. "Hi Ritchan-san! What are you doing here?"

"Hi Tohru-kun," he smiled, dropping his voice to a quiet squeak. "I, well, um, I work here. Ayame-san hired me after last month when I, well, you know." He shuddered at the unpleasant memory, wrapping his fingers around his boyfriend's wrist. "Ayame-san is so nice to me."

"That's wonderful!" She clutched her hands together, eyeing the couple with a joyful expression on her face. "I'm so happy for you!"

Wondering if the innocent girl realized that they were a couple, or just assumed that he was being charitable to the younger Zodiac member, Ayame gave a hearty laugh. "Oh yes, it's marvelous having him here! He's just perfect! He's a good worker, a good cook, beautiful, smart," he lightly caressed the other man's shimmering locks, "absolutely everything I could ever want!"

"T, t, that's not true, Ayame-san," Ritchan protested, studying the floor. "I don't think-."

"I'm so happy for you guys!" Tohru managed to maintain her eternal cheerfulness, offering the redhead a gentle smile so as to put him at ease. "That's really great!"

"Oh yes, I know!" Nodding emphatically, the silver-haired man looped his arm around Ritsu's waist, gesturing for Tohru to follow them. "Come now, sweet Tohru-kun. Let's sit down." Leading her into his office, he plopped her down onto a garish purple couch. "Now," after lowering the monkey onto a nearby chair, he joined her, leaning forward and staring with excited eyes. "I hear something about a party for my little brother?"

"Yes!" Remembrance dawned on Tohru's face as she met the older man's gaze. "I just found out that next Monday is Yuki's birthday, and I thought it would be nice if we could all have dinner together to celebrate," she smoothed a stray strand of hair behind her ear, beaming at the two men. "It might be a good chance for you to talk to Yuki about your relationship! I mean," She hurried to add, "if you're not too busy."

"Too busy for my dearest little frére?" Ayame gave a scandalized gasp, clamping his hand on his chest in emphatic surprise. "No, no, I would never even think of missing his birthday! Ritchan and I would simply love to come!" Jumping to his feet, the snake began to dance in circles. "Oh my! What shall we do? What shall we do?" He snatched the monkey's palm and held it against his body. "We'll need to buy presents and party clothes, and maybe we could even aid Tohru-kun in preparing for this spectacular event!" He offered the girl a glamorous look, throwing his hair over his shoulder as he turned to address her once more. "After all, I've given my share of parties! I'm an expert, of course!"

"Yes, that sounds nice," she agreed courteously, "I'm sure Yuki would be really happy if he found out that you wanted to help." Her eyes sparkled as they studied the two men. "It would be so nice if he knew how much you care."

"Oh, I know!" The silver-haired man swept towards her, giving an exaggerated sigh. "I only wish that I could convince him how much I truly care about our relationship! My only wish is to strengthen our brotherly bond. If only," he trailed off, glancing at Ritsu as he began to pace. "If only we could do something more, something fabulous for him. Something," pausing for a thoughtful moment, the snake swiftly became ecstatic. "Oh, what a wonderful idea!" He complimented himself, chuckling, "what if we had the party here, at our apartment?"

"Well," Tohru suppressed the reluctance from her voice, trying to match the other man's enthusiasm. "I'm sure that would be fun."

"Yes, yes, it would!" He replied, strutting back towards the sofa. "You need not worry about a thing, dear little flower. Ritchan and I will take care of everything! Won't we, sweet Monkey-chan?" Studying his boyfriend, he flashed an optimistic grin.

"Y, y, yes, Ayame-san," the monkey agreed, fingering the hem of his maid costume in his nervousness. "You'll do such a good job! I'm sure Yuki-kun will love it! But, are you sure you want me to help? I mean-."

"Naturally, mon petit ami! Even I do not cook as well as you do, and I know very few chefs in the world who can measure up to my abilities! You'll do a magnificent job!" Prancing to the other man's chair, he casually slipped his arm around the redhead's shoulders, kissing him lightly on the cheek. "We must work together to give my brother a perfect sixteenth birthday party! I couldn't do it without my beautiful Ritchan!"

"Ayame-san!" Mine's sing-song voice echoed through the store, bringing their preparations to a halt. "Somebody really special is here to see you!"

"Oh my!" The designer laughed, surveying his two companions with playful eyes. "I've been so caught up in your company that I've simply forgotten my work!"

"I'm sorry!" Both Ritsu and Tohru apologized immediately, looking flustered by the snake's teasing.

Releasing his hold on the monkey, he rose to his feet, bowing politely. "No, no, no problem at all!" He winked. "However, I must attend to this customer. Please excuse me for a moment." As he dismissed himself from the room, his thoughts raced with excitement. 'A party for Yuki-kun? In my house?' His heart danced in his chest at the idea. "Finally, finally I'll have the chance to show him that I want to be a part of his life. I want this rift between us to close! I just need to convince him to let me draw closer to him!'

Strolling between stacks of vivid fabrics and half-finished clothing, the snake considered his assistant's words. 'Somebody really special? What a strange thing for Mine-kun to say! I can't wait to see who she,' he stopped, catching sight a familiar head of steely hair as it peered over the glass countertop. 'Yuki?' His heart stopped. His body froze, too overcome with surprise to move. 'Yuki came here, to see me?' Tears of happiness prickled in the corners of his eyes as he observed the younger boy. His stomach overflowing with warmth, he struggled to find his voice. "Yuki-kun?" He managed to croak out despite the lump in his throat. "Dearest little brother?"

Yuki whirled around at once, staring at the older man through narrow eyes. "Is Miss Honda here?"

Ignoring the question, the silver-haired man raced forward. "Oh, sweet little brother! What a coincidence! We were just talking about you!" He enveloped the rat in a forced embrace, bouncing with glee as he addressed the younger Sohma. "So, you just couldn't stand living any longer without another visit to my glorious shop? You needed your big brother's advice on something important?" Listing off suggestions as to why the boy may have visited, Ayame grew more exuberant with every word. "You've come to find out more about my life, in turn revealing more of yourself to me and therefore strengthening our brotherly bond?"

Yuki rolled his eyes. "I've come to escort Miss Honda home. Shigure told me she was here."

"Oh, quite the gentleman!" Ayame giggled, meeting his brother's icy stare with warm eyes. "Yes, yes, she's here. She and I were just discussing a very important issue," he waved his arms to illustrate the magnitude of his statement, "but we are nearly finished and I'm sure she will be simply bursting with joy when she finds out you're here." Winking at his brother, he attempted to draw a connection between himself and the other boy. "She's very fond of you, of course. It seems that you are quite the charmer, just like me! Not to mention that you certainly have my good looks! It must run in the family."

"What were you saying to Miss Honda?" The steely-haired boy demanded, groaning at his brother's boasts.

"Nothing, nothing!" The silver-haired man sighed, meeting Mine's gaze and chuckling softly. "My, aren't you paranoid today, little brother! She and I were just talking, but as for the matter of our discussion, I simply cannot disclose it at this time. Even to you, sweet Yuki-kun."

Grimacing, the rat shifted impatiently. "Fine. It doesn't matter. Just tell Miss Honda that I'm here. I don't know how much more of you I can stand."

Searing pain bit at the snake's heart. "Anything for you, little brother!" He tried to maintain his confident façade, but his words crumbled miserably due to the lump forming in his throat. He could not meet Mine's concerned stare. He couldn't bare to see the exasperation in his brother's eyes. 'And I thought everything was going so well!' Tears of hurt replaced those of delight, and he had to bite his lip to keep them from spilling down his cheeks. He tried not to look crestfallen; tried to suppress the disappointment on his face. But he failed. "Tohru-kun! Little Yuki is here to see you!" His voice cracked, but he prayed the others wouldn't notice.

Appearing almost immediately from behind a nearby stack of boxes, Tohru approached the brothers with a bright smile. "Um, Yuki-kun, you didn't need to come pick me up!" She blushed, "I mean, I hope it wasn't any trouble for you."

"Not at all, Miss Honda," Yuki's face changed automatically, transforming from hateful to polite as soon as he spoke to the brown-haired girl. Answering in a reassuring tone, he linked his arm with hers. "I didn't want you to have to walk home alone tonight."

"Thank you!" She looked slightly embarrassed as she turned toward the silver-haired man. "And thanks for your hospitality, Ayame-san." She curtsied, bobbing her head as she expressed her gratitude to the older man.

"No, thank you, sweet Tohru," the snake replied, flipping his hair over his shoulder. "It's always such a pleasure to have guests! Come visit me any time you like!" Watching the young couple, Ayame noticed Yuki as he gave the girl a nudge toward the door. "Good-bye, Tohru-kun! Farewell, dearest little brother!" He forced his lips to curl into a smile, taking a deep breath as he felt his throat tightening. "I shall see you both very soon, I suspect." He nodded knowingly in Tohru's direction.

"Good-bye, Ayame-san!" Her voice sparkled as she headed to the door. "I'll talk to you soon!"

"Yes, yes!" He watched his brother disappear through the glass door, half-heartedly expecting the boy to turn around and offer some form of acknowledgment or farewell. But all he saw was Yuki's back guiding Tohru down the street. Ignored. Ayame hated being forgotten. 'But I ignored him when I was a child, so perhaps it's fair,' he dreaded the thought of this kind of justice, pushing it from his mind as he attempted to assure himself that Yuki would not do that to him. 'Why can't you forgive me, little brother? I want so very badly to start over!'

Sighing inwardly, the silver-haired man faced his young assistant, dispelling the tears from his eyes in hopes of convincing her of his indifference. "Please don't look at me like that, dear Mine. You're making me feel guilty!" Faking a laugh, he wiped the tears out from under his mascara-coated lashes, turning the corner and stopping dead in his tracks at the sight before him.

Hiding behind a cluster of fabric bolts, the monkey shivered with tears. "I'm so sorry, Ayame-san," his voice trembled and broke, his swollen eyes conveying his concern. "I'm so sorry."

"Oh, little Ritchan!" Ayame fell to his knees, wrapping his boyfriend in a passionate embrace. "I'm sorry you had to hear that." The other man's sobs seemed to rekindle the pain in his chest, and a flood of tears overpowered him. As he clung to the redhead's body, his façade shattered. "Ritchan," he whispered, staggering against the younger Sohma. "I'm OK, I promise. Because you're here with me."

'Hmm, finally, one thousand dollars,' gleefully fingering a stack of money, Ayame pulled a brown box out from under his bed, trembling as he reorganized the stacks of bills so as to fit the cramped space. 'Almost enough,' he thought, stashing the cash and hiding it under the worn lid. He smiled, fingering the image that he had plastered to the box cover. The Eiffel Tower. 'Someday. Someday soon!'

"Ayame-san?" The redhead whispered meekly, knocking from the other side of the door. "M, m, may I come in?"

"Yes! Come in! Come in!" Sinking onto the bed, the silver-haired man let the box of money fall to his side, forgetting it as he studied Ritsu's ashen face. "Is something wrong, sweet Ritchan?"

"Well, um, dinner's almost ready," examining his feet, the cross dresser wrung his hands, shifting from side to side in a dance of obvious fear. "And I was, well," he glanced up, meeting the snake's stare with a comforting smile, "I was wondering if you're feeling better. I mean, after Yuki, well," he bit his lip, looking away as his face flushed scarlet. "I'm sorry! I shouldn't have said anything!"

"Oh, Monkey-chan!" Ayame's voice swelled with emotion. Ritsu truly cared. He wanted to help. 'He wants me to feel better. He is sincerely concerned about me!' His heart warmed, causing his pulse to quicken with excitement and disbelief. 'I never thought anybody would love me like that.'

Gesturing to the monkey, the snake eased the younger man onto the bed. "Oh, dear, sweet Ritchan! You're always so concerned about me! That's what makes me love you!" He reached forward, running a finger through the man's amber tresses. "You're the only person I've ever met who is interested in my feelings. My other friends, well, the only time they would show any concern was when they were afraid I might make a mess that they would have to clean up." Attempting a strained giggle, he lovingly caressed the other man's back. "But you always seem so sincerely worried. I just can't believe it! I love you so much!"

Obviously taken aback by his boyfriend's response, Ritsu reached a brave hand to touch the silver-haired man's cheek. "That's because, well, um, you're so nice to me, and I just want to, um," he blushed once more, scrutinizing the silky bedspread in an attempt to avoid the snake's gaze, "I just want you to be as happy as I am when I'm with you."

'He's getting more confident,' the dress designer realized, flashing an enchanting smile. 'Oh, Monkey-chan, I'm so proud of you!' His fingers trembled as he reached for the younger man. Cupping the redhead's cheek in his hand, Ayame moved closer, sealing the gap between them with a deep kiss. Parting his lips, he could feel his blood burning with passion. Their tongues clashed, eliciting sparks in the pit of his stomach. 'Oh, Ritchan,' he moaned, savoring the other man's warmth, basking in the feel of his trembling lips and clumsy tongue. 'I love you so much,' losing touch with his mind, Ayame pressed up against his boyfriend's body, pushing him down onto the mattress.

"Ow!" Ritsu squeaked into the kiss, blushing as he extracted a box from under his head. "Oops!" He nearly cried as a shower of bills came spilling out onto the bed. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" He pulled away from the other man, frantically scurrying to recollect the scattered money. "I'M SO SORRY!"

"No need to worry, sweet Ritchan!" Feeling bereft of the other man's touch, the snake grabbed the box, hurriedly resituating his savings. "Perhaps I should've sealed that better!" Laughing it off, he drew the man into his embrace, hoping to continue what they had started. "It really isn't your fault at all."

Fighting the urge to protest, the redhead instead appeared slightly curious. "Um, A, A, Ayame-san?" Eyeing the stacks of bills, he queried timidly. "What-."

"Oh!" Ayame giggled, understanding the monkey's surprise. "Yes, this is just a small savings I've put together over the years. I'm hoping to use it to fulfill one of my biggest dreams!" Pausing dramatically, he waited for Ritsu to inquire further, but when no questions came, he continued his tale. "I long to see Paris! The Eiffel Tower! Shopping on the Champs Élysées! The Palace of Versailles! Oh!" Clapping his hands, he appeared absolutely giddy. "Wouldn't it be marvelous, sweet Ritchan? Wouldn't it be fantastic?"

"Yes, Ayame-san," nodding, the redhead leaned against the snake's shoulder, surrendering himself to the other man's touch. "That would be really fun."

"Oh, I know!" He exclaimed. "Ever since I was a child, I've hoped to travel somewhere. Somewhere interesting and bold! But," he sighed, snuggling against the other body. "I fear that I will have to spend my whole life here, in this provincial town with little adventure to offer. Such is the curse, I suppose."

Ritsu's eyes watered slightly as he met the other man's stare. "I don't think, well, um, I think you shouldn't give up. I mean, you can't just give up on your dream like that!" Clamping his fingers over his mouth, he gasped. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have said that, Ayame-san! I'm so rude sometimes." He giggled repentantly.

"And what about you?" Ayame snickered, kissing the tears off of the younger man's face. "I noticed that you didn't bring your painting supplies with you when you moved, sweet Ritchan. It hurts me deeply to think that you've given up when you possess so much talent!" He pouted, his eyes filling with hopefulness. "Won't you paint again, for me?"

"N, n, no, I just can't. I'm scared to. I," the monkey pulled away, sitting up and swinging his legs off of the bed, "I was stupid to think I could ever be good at anything. I'm just," he smiled sheepishly, shrugging, "pretty useless."

Ayame's stomach clenched. 'Oh, Ritchan! After all I've told you, all I've shown you, how can you still say such awful things about yourself?' His blood turned frigid in his veins as he reached for his boyfriend's shoulder. "Ritchan, please don't say those things," wrenching the other man back into his arms, he tried to maintain his smile despite the plethora of emotions bubbling in his heart. "You aren't useless at all! You're so nice to me, you help me, and," sweeping his elegant arm around the redhead's waist, he licked at the other man's ear, "you've made me the happiest man in the world."

Whirling around, Ritsu shone with adoration for his boyfriend. "Thank you, Ayame-san," he whispered, blushing madly as he pressed his lips against the snake's mouth. "Thank you so much."

Responding to the kiss, Ayame groaned with appreciation. 'Oh, dear Monkey-chan! Where would I be without you?'

Francais avec Ayame #11

frere- brother

mon petit ami- boyfriend

Next chapter...the big birthday bash! Or..."the spectacular event" as Ayame would say! ha ha.