To Keep You
Yosuke
Drama/Romance

AN: Although Ayame is not really my favorite character in the Fruits Basket series, I felt a deep attachment to his relationship with Mine, if you can believe it. Despite how fruity the guy acts, I find his feelings for her to be just as real as any other pairings. And so, as I haven't read the manga in a long time and I've only just finished re-watching the anime for the millionth time, I will hope deeply that I get all the details (as minor as they appeared) correct.

Furuba not mine.

There was always this horrifying feeling in the pit of his stomach whenever he returned to the shop to find it empty. Not to say that he was so full of himself that he abhorred the lack of customers (well actually... he was that full of himself), but it wasn't quite that situation that lead him to panic inwardly. It was the lack of someone else, the lack of that warmth the shop always held whenever she was around.

Where was Mine?

Ayame Souma had returned as quickly as he could, like he always did when he had to leave his shop during business hours, and had hoped to find his business associate hidden somewhere along the shelves, pushing clothes out of the way or arranging a bouquet by the sitting area. But sometimes that dreadful moment occurred when he walked in and Mine wasn't there, and panic fluttered in his stomach like butterflies trapped in a jar.

Biting down on his tongue to resist from calling out to her, Ayame left his coat on the coat hanger by the door and stepped towards the back of the store, eyes ever wary for movement. He knew his ears wouldn't be able to pick up any faint noises from the storage room in the back (he was a snake, after all), so he had to rely solely on his eyes, which seemed to increase his fear ten-fold. It would only lead him to the conclusion that... Mine had left again.

The time before, the first time she'd left, hadn't been by her choice. After a set of very unfortunate incidents, and a long night of crying, Mine had been removed from the shop... and from Ayame's existence.

It had been a day during the hot summer, a little over a year ago, while Yuki was still in middle school and Ayame was returning to the shop after a day of bombarding his younger brother with unrequited brotherly love. Needless to say, he was feeling rather down and listless after such an fruitless endeavor, not to mention the weather was simply murderous, with a heat wave intense enough to set this small snake on fire. Ayame nearly fell through the doorway once he reached his shop, relishing the air conditioning and throwing himself onto the couch in the waiting area.

After about seven sighs, each one louder than the last in a tasteless attempt to get some attention, Mine arrived from the back of the shop, a pile of costumes in her arms and her glasses askew on her face.

"Manager! I didn't think you'd be back so soon!" She set the clothes on the coffee table and straightened her own outfit before standing properly in front of her boss. "It's a hot one, huh? Would you like some lemonade?"

"Oh, but what is the point?" And here came Ayame's theatrics, drama dripping from every pore as he draped an arm over his face. "Luxuries and pleasures, even something as wonderful as cold lemonade, lacks any sweetness when the ones you love scorn your very presence with a glare colder than the coldest lemonade glass!" Ayame didn't move from his spot, though his constant fidgeting showed Mine that he was quite uncomfortable in his position, and the only thing keeping him down was his need for melodrama. Mine smiled endearingly and knelt beside the couch, putting a hand on his arm.

"But one day Yuki will warm up to you, and you know it. Things like this take time. Just be patient and he'll come around."

"But such pressing matters cannot wait!" Finally, Ayame rose from the couch, though the still lingering heat from the outside kept him front jumping to his feet to perform his soliloquy more grandly. "We are taught to live every day as our last! Tomorrow might not come, and if such a horrifying thing were to happen, my poor dear younger brother would leave this world never knowing of how true and genuine my love for him is! I cannot sit back and wait for him to simply accept my affection! He must not resist anymore! I am deserving of a second chance, and by God, I will prove it!" And there went the last of his energy. The snake collapsed back onto the couch, heaving a sigh as he closed his eyes. "Lemonade would be good."

"One glass, coming right up." Mine rose and skipped to the back of the store, returning shortly with a tray and large glass filled nearly to the brim with the requested drink. Ayame glanced up at her upon her return.

"Oh, thank you, dear Mine. You are a true gift." He took the glass carefully and sat up to take a sip. Mine smiled in return.

"Perhaps you should head home for the day. I can take care of things here myself. It's not that busy right now."

"And what sort of selfish man leaves a beautiful young girl alone in a store to fend for herself? I cannot fathom the idea!" The man rose to his feet, setting his glass down on the coffee table, then reaching down to pick up the pile of costumes Mine had left. The girl, almost startled, dropped her tray and reached for the pile as well.

"Oh, no, Manager! I can do this! I made this mess, please let me clean it up!"

"Mine, you work too hard. I am more than capable of sorting through a few outfits right now." It was the man's poisonously charming smile that stayed Mine's attempts any further, her arms falling to her sides as she backed up a few steps to give him room.

"If you say so..." After a moment, she smiled her usual, cheerful smile. "You're too good to me sometimes, y'know."

"Yes, I can be quite the angel sometimes, can't I?" To anyone else, the lack of sarcasm in his voice would've implied severe arrogance, but to Mine, she only recognized the tone as her boss, Ayame Souma, a god amongst men with a heart more generous than anyone she knew. If only other people could see that, especially Yuki.

An audible sigh from the young girl caught the snake's attention, and he stopped on his trek to the back of the store to look over his shoulder at her. "Something wrong, dear Mine?"

Mine jerked up, unaware she'd made any noise. "N-No, nothing, Ayame. Just thinking too hard."

Where usually one would expect a witty retort or some lighthearted joke, Ayame merely smiled warmly at her and continued into the back, leaving Mine to tend to the front of the store. The overbearing silence pressed down on her, and she suddenly felt very uncomfortable being alone, despite the fact that she'd just spent half the day by herself in that store, and her boss now stood merely one room over. She wanted to run into the next room and stand behind him as she always did, watching his back and his magnificent length of hair. It was reassuring to her to see him from that angle, like a little kid following her parent. Ayame was a strong person, a bright beacon in a dim world with such a unique mind and heart. To not be around him was like sitting in a dark room and waiting for someone to turn on the nightlight. Except when this nightlight came on, it brightened the whole house, not just the one room.

Another sigh escaped her lips and she sank down onto the couch, staring absentmindedly at Ayame's lemonade glass, condensation slipping down the side to leave a small and slowly growing puddle on the glass table. She'd wipe it up later... For now, she was too lost in thought to worry about cleanliness. What was she so concerned about? Why was she feeling this lonely all of a sudden? It didn't make any sense to her, and truthfully, ever since she'd come to know Ayame, things not making sense didn't happen a lot for her. Ever since Ayame had come around, everything had been clear to her. There was another person in the world who felt like her, who made her feel like she wasn't some kind of freak that loved costumes and the non-typical styles of lives few people lead. She loved that there was another person out there that made her feel like she was just as smart and loving as anyone else could be. Ayame made her feel so... special.

But did she make Ayame feel the same way about himself?

She dreaded thinking that her boss couldn't rely on her as heavily as she relied on him. She wanted to make him feel just as special and shining as she felt. She wanted to be his support and know that he could go to her whenever he felt as down as he did sometimes, like today.

But perhaps what had happened today had been enough. Ayame was upset about not being able to reach Yuki's heart, and after feeling so crestfallen, he'd returned to the shop rather than the company of anyone else in his extended family. He'd come to her, to be consoled. And she'd given it her best shot. The smiles he'd graced her with had been more than enough to comfort her in return, and she should've been content with that.

Mine closed her eyes and smiled, shaking her head. All was well. She had no need to worry herself over being useful to Ayame. That generous man held her in high esteem and treated her like a wonderful friend. That was all she needed, and she wouldn't dare be greedy by asking for more.

Standing, she took the chilled glass of lemonade from the table and carried it to the back, where she found Ayame staring intently at two outfits on hangers, dangling from some overstocked shelves. A hand was to his chin as he stood motionlessly, eying the things as if he were deciding which one should be killed. Mine had chills sometimes when she watched him like this. His decision-making skills were impeccable, but the way he took his time, when he was serious like this... It was like watching a coiled snake preparing to kill a rat. He seemed relaxed enough, but Mine could definitely see how tense he was. She liked the anticipation, the moment before he struck... What would be his decision?... What was he deciding, anyway?

The two outfits were similar, both classic nurse's costumes, however one was white with decorative embroidery around the edges and the other a pastel pink with flowers appliqued along the neckline and sleeves. In Mine's opinion, the pink one seemed a little tacky, but she would never question Ayame's judgement if he decided the pink one was better...

"Mine?"

Mine jumped a little. "Yes, Manager?"

"Which one would you choose for a surprise birthday party?" Ayame's yellow eyes slid in her direction, watching her carefully, still coiled and ready to strike. Mine shivered.

"That depends, I suppose. Age range?"

"Twenty-five to thirty."

"Classy party or shindig?"

"Upscale, but they're involving 'live entertainment'."

Mine nodded in understanding. What was a party without a few strippers? But at an upscale party? Definitely a little tacky. This one was tricky. "Well," she began, stepping forward until she was right beside her boss. "White means 'I'm serious about being attractive'. Pink means 'I'm serious for tonight, and that's about it'. If you trust the client, send them the white one."

Ayame watched her for a long moment before shifting his eyes back over to the costumes. Finally, he nodded in approval and reached for the pink one. "He was far too rushed with his choices and he took no time to really consider his options. Nurse costumes are a bit outdated anyway." Ayame smiled and handed the dress to Mine. "Please package this up for delivery. I doubt we'll be hearing from this client after the party."

It was insane how well this man could read some people. He had a remarkable sense about things, and Mine trusted him fully. Smiling, she took the costume and held it carefully in her arms. "No one's bought a nurse costume in months. I'm glad to see at least one of them go. They are a bit outdated." She turned and headed for a wrack of plastic suit covers, dressing it and hanging it off a shelf, then walking to the back of the room to retrieve a box. Leaning all the way up on her tippy-toes, she had to struggle to reach an empty box on the top shelf. She began to waver back and forth, her fingertips just barely brushing the bottom of the box.

Another set of hands gracefully swooped in and grabbed the box, sliding it off the shelf with ease. Mine relaxed and turned to see her boss, smiling at her endearingly and handing her the box. "It's okay to ask for help sometimes, Mine."

"Y... Yes, Manager." Mine blushed and grasped the box tightly, watching Ayame return to the white nurse costume to put it back on the wrack. "That..." she began, and the snake looked over his shoulder at her. She suddenly felt very embarrassed. "That goes for you, too." She wasn't sure why she was saying this. "If there's anything you ever need... You should let me know... I'm here for you, too."

It was a long, silent moment, and for that lengthy pass in time, more words seemed to be exchanged through their gazes than either of them could speak. It must've taken her so much courage to say that, Ayame had thought. While Mine could seem just as outgoing and, well, loud as Ayame, the snake could easily see how timid she was when it came to speaking to him. She held respect for him, and by being like him, it seemed to ensure her place as his friend and pier. Being by him, however, seemed like such a difficult task, like she never felt worthy enough to be in his presence. Ayame would've like nothing more than to prove her wrong, but such things... were not possible in the Souma clan. She could love him as he was, a tall, handsome man with well-kept and luxurious hair, and beautiful eyes (if he did say so himself). But could she love him wrapped in scales? Cold to the touch and deadly to the bite?

It was just another thing he was denied as a cursed Souma, and only something he could dream of, to be loved by the one he loved most. Sadly, it was something he would never know, whether or not Mine held the same affection for him as he did her. He would just have to go on dreaming.

Returning to the present, Ayame proceeded back to the wrack of clothes to hang up the dress. "Dear Mine, don't concern yourself with me. I am but a humble slave of men's desires and fantasies. If there was anything else I could ask for in life, no mortal would be able to give it to me!" The return of the drama. As much as Mine could love to hear such fantastical things from him, she saw through the evasion, but simply nodded her head.

"Yes, Ayame."

Quickly packaging the costume, she wrapped the box and labeled it, then moved to put it back in its place on the shelf. Knowing she wouldn't be able to reach, she began to try and slide it back up onto the shelf, partially climbing the racks while calling for Ayame.

"I need help, Manager. Can you put this back up-"

All too suddenly, the box slipped from her fingers and collapsed onto her head. This caused her to lose her footing, and in an attempt to remain upright, she grabbed for something on the shelf to retain her balance. This ended up being a case of accessories, put away for temporary storage. As she tumbled backwards, the case flew off the shelf with her hand, flinging garter belts and bows everywhere.

"Mine!"

It was some sort of remarkable reflex the man had, that she'd witnessed in him before, again much like a snake's lightning fast strike. She felt his hands slide under her arms to grab her, to keep her from falling and injuring herself... and just as suddenly as she felt her back hit his chest, he was gone and she was on the floor with a bruised hip. Groaning in slight pain, she sat up rubbed the back of her head where she'd hit the floor. "Oh, Manager, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to fall like that..." She turned around and looked up to see Ayame... but he wasn't there. Confused, her eyes swept across the room, finding no trace of the man except for his tunic coat, the one he'd just been wearing. She was sitting on it, surrounded by the accessories from the box.

Blinking in pure confusion, her eyes one again looked around the room. "Manager? Where'd you go?" She could've sworn she felt him trying to catch her. She twisted further in her spot, her hand landing on his coat, but as she did, she felt something move from beneath it. Almost spasming from the shock, her hand shot up and she backed away from the coat on her knees, eying the tunic precariously as if it had somehow threatened her. She could see something move just slightly from beneath the clothes, something long and curled. Her first thought stung her and she leapt to her feet. It was a snake. A snake had somehow gotten in the shop! ...After Ayame had somehow gotten naked in an extraordinarily short amount of time.

"Ayame! Come in here quick! There's a snake in the back room! A big snake!" Mine couldn't help her yelling: She was scared of snakes. Anything creepy or crawly sent shivers up her spine. She could feel her palms breaking out into sweat. "Ayame! Please come quick!"

The snake didn't move from the clothing, but instead kept to itself under the cloak, slowly balling up, then going still. Mine wasn't sure what to do. Ayame had somehow left (and wherever he was, he was naked), and she had a fear of snakes. What could be done? There were shoes in the room... She could easily smash the snake and take care of the problem herself. But a part of her wanted to defend the snake, knowing it wasn't its fault for being there, and it certainly didn't deserve to die for her fear.

Cringing visibly, she grabbed the very edge of the coat and pulled quickly, shocked to find the entire rest of Ayame's ensemble underneath it: Shirt, pants, and socks. Once the clothes flew to the side, the snake became visible. It was a silver snake, perhaps three feet long with no significant coloring on its back. There was no way to tell if it was poisonous. Perhaps an albino? The eyes weren't red, though. They were a pretty yellow, and stared at her with the same intensity Ayame had moments ago when deciding on a costume. Come to think of it, the scales of the snake were the same color as Ayame's hair. What a strange coincidence.

"Goodness... You'd think Ayame had turned into that snake or something..."

"Don't..."

Mine jerked up, eyes scanning the room again. She swore she had just heard Ayame's voice. "Manager?"

"Don't hate me like this. It's all I can ask of you, Mine. Don't remember me like this."

Slowly, ever so slowly, large eyes turned back down to the snake, body shaking from the shock of the moment... or was it the snake that was shaking?

"Mine... I'm here. I'm sorry I'm... like this."

"...Ayame?"

Everything passed in a blur after that, like an awful time-collapsed collage from a corny movie. The only problem was Mine just couldn't absorb the information she was being fed. One moment her boss was gone, the next a snake was talking to her, and after that, merely ten minutes later, the snake became a man, her boss, her Ayame. She'd barely had the presence of mind to turn away as he dressed himself. He spoke to her softly; it was unlike him. Mine vaguely thought that perhaps this wasn't the real Ayame. Maybe she was being tricked, and her Ayame had somehow been... spirited away. But she was too old for fairy tales. This was Ayame... and he was suddenly a whole different person to her.

She left the shop that evening to sleep at her parents' house, hardly speaking a word to her boss, the profoundness of what had happened bearing heavily on her mind and heart. Ayame had tried to speak with her, tried to make her understand... Something about the Souma clan, a curse they were under, and when he made a mistake, he became a beast, a snake. What was she supposed to think now? Who was Ayame Souma? Why hadn't she been told about this? Hadn't they been close? Hadn't he trusted her as she trusted him? Hadn't they been friends?

Did she still love him?

It seemed absurd that she couldn't still love him. She knew she did, deep down inside. She wanted desperately to return to the shop and hold his hands and listen to everything he had to say. She wanted to hear his explanations again, and try to understand what this situation was that he was in. She wanted to help him, as he'd helped her in the past. But she couldn't. She couldn't even look at him. She couldn't understand. The one person who understood her the best in the whole world, and she couldn't return the favor. What good was she? How could she be called his friend?

Ayame had left the shop in the same sullen silence as Mine, returning upstairs to his loft nearly two hours after she had gone herself. He'd closed the store and simply sat inside for those two hours, staring at nothing and thinking of everything. Mine had been the only person outside of the Souma family he felt he could go to if ever a situation were to arise. With her unsure of her place now, how could he talk to her? How could he explain himself and make himself not look like some bewitched beast?

He dreaded the idea of talking to Hatori and Shigure about it. Those two were his best friends, but they were also practically answering machines for Akito. Anything that was spoken to them would eventually end up in Akito's ears, and after Hatori and Kana... Ayame wasn't sure he felt he could risk it. But he would have to know sooner or later. Akito would find out, and it would be riskier if it were secondhand information. Ayame would have to say something... He would have to turn in Mine.

But he couldn't do it. In this world, a dark cage for the Souma, a Zodiac member had very few people they could trust. Mine had been his only friend he felt a genuine connection with outside of the Souma. She'd been there for him every step of the way. She made him feel like a king in his own shop, and a good person in the real world. She was a breath of fresh air, a sight for sore eyes, and any other tired expression one could think of. He wouldn't be able to exist without Mine there beside him. He couldn't run the shop, and he certainly would never have the courage to try and face Yuki again, not without Mine there to encourage him. The lemonade wouldn't be as good, and the dresses in the store wouldn't look as cute if she didn't model them first.

Overall... there was just no living without Mine.

It was decided then that he would have a talk with her the next day when she came in for work, if she came in for work. He would have her swear secrecy, and nobody in the Souma family would ever come to know of it. Akito would never touch her, and Hatori wouldn't have to seal away her memories. And with all this settled, Ayame left the store quietly, content on trying to fix everything the next morning.

The only problem was that the next morning, Mine wasn't there.

Nervousness swallowed him as he checked the back of the shop in a state of silent fret. There was no sign that she'd even walked in. Everything was just the way he'd left it the night before. Okay, this was a little expected but definitely disappointing. Mine hadn't the courage to return, or the understanding to face Ayame. He could handle this. He'd just visit her at her parents' home and try to coerce her into returning.

A sharp ringing sound from the back of the store startled him, causing him to falter in his steps as he turned and looked as if he expected the phone to just come walking out into the shop. Mine almost always answered the phone; Ayame was usually too preoccupied or lazy to answer it himself. Calming himself, he walked into the back and picked up the receiver. Clearing his throat, he put back on his usual enthusiastic demeanor to entice his new mobile client. "Good morning! Thank you for making the unmistakably wise choice of calling 'Ayame'-"

"Ayame?"

The voice was familiar, and all too suddenly the most dreaded voice in the world.

"H...Hello, Hatori! What a wonderful surprise! I don't think you've ever called my shop before! Goodness, are you planning on trying out a little evening fun? I think I have just the right thing for you!"

"No, and I called your shop because you weren't answering your cell phone."

"Ah, yes, that is because it has died."

"Then charge it."

"That would require having a charger."

"What happened to the one you had?"

"The wire made the most perfect bracelet for a client's dress!"

Ayame could hear the heavy sigh over the phone, almost heaving a sigh himself at the familiarity in Hatori's tone. The snake had been dreading that perhaps Hatori was calling with some unfortunate news, but with the conversation being so lighthearted, perhaps he'd just been expecting the worst.

"Ayame, we have to talk."

"Anything for you, darling! Shall we discuss over tea? The cafe down the street from here is simply to die for!"

"I'm sorry..."

He froze, hardly aware that he was holding a phone anymore. "...Sorry for what, Hatori?"

"Akito..."

Just as Mine had passed into a dumbfounded state when she'd seen Ayame transform, Ayame, too, fell into a state of muteness when Hatori explained what had happened. After the doctor had finished talking, Ayame had said nothing and simply hung up the phone, then slowly walked to the couch and sat, staring into space as he had last night. Somehow or another, the main house had found out. In such a short amount of time, those sneaky bastards had found out about Mine. Word had reached Akito, and early that morning, before anyone was even awake, Hatori had paid a visit to Mine's parents' home at the behest of Akito.

Mine no longer knew who Ayame was.

His dark cage, the world of the Souma, had suddenly shrunk, the bars closing in even more. There was no shop anymore. There was no love for people or making them happy. There was no cute dresses or sweet lemonade, and there was no more talking to Yuki. All that was left was an appointment with an audience with Akito for his verbal reprimanding, new limitations to be put in place, and the next several weeks to be spent in his loft above the store, packing up Mine's things and forcing himself to pretend it had never happened. At least that way, the rest of his life wouldn't seem as horrible when he spent it alone.

That was how it happened; and a month and half later, the costume shop hadn't had a single client return. Ayame hadn't answered a phone or unlocked the door since he'd heard the terrible news. He only left his home to retrieve groceries or take a long walk to nowhere in particular. Normally at times like this, he'd turn to Shigure or Hatori for minor consoling, but those two had now become the right hand of the devil, in his eyes. He knew it was unfair to label them as such, as they hadn't done anything within their control, and Hatori's guilt ran almost as deeply as it had when his own love had fallen victim to his hypnosis. But he just couldn't stomach looking at them. It would just remind him that Mine wasn't there anymore, and she never would be.

One hot afternoon, almost as hot as the day Mine had discovered his secret (this was becoming a terrible habit, framing the timeline of his life around this tragic day), Ayame was gathering his things to head out to the supermarket, intent on a low-budget meal, seeing as he was barely making money anymore. Locking the door behind him, he turned to head down the sidewalk, but stopped short when he noticed someone blocking his path.

Mine.

He thought for a moment that he might be hallucinating and cursed himself, and he had just thought that perhaps he might've just been starting to get over the whole horrible episode of Mine-withdrawal. But no, she was there, dressed in the plainest outfit he'd ever seen her in: A sundress. It was cute on her (anything was cute on her), but it just didn't match the levels of expertise he knew she had when picking out an outfit for herself. Had she changed in all this time? Had she lost her enthusiasm for costumes and self-expression? Would she still be the same Mine he'd come to know and love?

Perhaps he should've just walked past her, pretending not to notice her or just brush her off like a selfish passerby. He should've, he knew, but with the way his heart was stopped, he doubted he could do much more than stare like an idiot. And that was what he did. Eying her like she was a mirage in the desert, he waited for her to speak.

Mine's smile lit up brighter than that ungodly bright sun that afternoon. "Excuse me, I just noticed this shop here, and I was wondering if you needed any part-timers. I love dresses and outfits, and I'm an experienced seamstress. Would you need any help?"

That cage he was in, the dark ugly cage, was still small and suffocating, but Ayame could so suddenly see the bars begin to crack, then melt away just a little bit. His world was opening up because Mine was back.

Too little too late did he catch himself smiling most awkwardly, and quickly corrected himself, trying to scrounge through his head for the proper reaction to her proposition. But he could think of none. After years of being the way he was, he could think of nothing to say to her. His mouth decided then to go on auto-pilot, much to his grief.

"Do you know who I am?"

It was the single most painful question he could've asked, and he immediately bit his tongue after it was spoken, knowing all too well that hearing her response would only break his heart again. He wasn't sure if he could bear to hear her answer, and mentally willed himself to go deaf for the next few seconds.

"You're Ayame, right?"

And so suddenly, his broken heart pieced itself together in an instant, his wide eyes watching her with such an intensity that he saw her shudder from it. She still gave the same reactions to his mannerisms, and didn't seemed at all fazed by his mere presence like so many other people were. Could it be that she really did remember him, despite her visit from Hatori?

"Y... Yes, I am. Do... Do you remember me?"

Her eyebrows lifted in confusion. "I'm sorry? Remember you? From where?" He could see the question rolling around in her head as she tried to recall when she had last seen this man. "I'm sorry, I don't think I remember meeting you before. I was just saying that this store appears to be named after someone. Considering I saw you locking the shop, I assumed you were the owner. Am I incorrect?" Mine's head half-cocked to the side, eager to know if she had been wrong. But she saw no immediate response from him. Ayame had managed to construct a careful mask of indifference towards her statement, covering up his innermost thoughts. She didn't remember him after all... Like an idiot, he'd gotten his hopes up so high that the crash back down was almost as traumatizing as when he'd first lain eyes on her that day. What a sad sight he must've been. A man so desperately clinging on to his need of the girl he loved that he was overreacting to everything she did.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, he managed to smile softly at her for just a moment, the unmistakable traces of sadness flashing through his eyes, of which he was well aware Mine had noticed, before he sucked in a deep breath and beamed his regular enthralling smile at her. His over-the-top performance would be the same as always, as if she'd never left, and yet as if she was just a stranger. He'd treat her the same as always, knowing far too well that it would be the best that he would get... and that was more than enough. He had Mine back. That's all that mattered.

Congratulating her on her new employment, he welcomed her into the shop and began showing her around, noting every now and then how a flash of recognition would jolt within her, her eyes pondering over something she'd just heard or seen as if she'd been aware of it... sometime before. Ayame promptly ignored it, though, knowing that the pressure of trying to break the hypnosis could potentially damage her psyche. No matter how much he loved her, he wouldn't lead her to such tragic circumstances. She didn't deserve anymore pain.

Once everything was set up, he walked her to the door, holding it open and wishing her a safe trip home (wherever that was now). As she walked out, impulsively he grabbed her shoulder and turned her to face him. Startled, Mine looked up at her boss. "Yes, Manager?"

The fond title lit a little flame in Ayame's heart, and he couldn't help but smile just a bit in return. "I just have one more question before we seal the deal."

"And that would be?"

His mouth was dry and he was almost shaking, but he maintained his facade. "...What is your opinion on nurse costumes?"

He was immediately answered with a scoff and a light giggle from Mine. "Nurse costumes? They're pretty outdated, aren't they?"

The terrifying memories of those days haunted his steps like a specter, and Ayame almost felt himself sick with the idea that perhaps history was repeating itself. There he stood in his shop, the lights still on but no sound coming from anywhere, save for his heavy heartbeat. He'd felt the horrible pangs of loneliness and solidarity before, something he feared more than anything in the world, and afterwards had felt the warmth of Mine's presence rekindle inside him when she'd slowly picked back up her pace at work. She'd proven just as useful after her hypnosis as she had been before. He'd reintroduced her to everything, and she'd returned to the busy worker ant that she'd always been. Ayame had been fine with this, more than content with simply having Mine around, even if all of her happy memories with Ayame had been completely wiped from the face of the earth. He could only sigh over it. Besides, it wasn't like it was the worst thing. It was like going on a first date with a person you've loved and dated for years. The excitement and adventure of getting to know each other again, and making new memories.

Still, it would be painful to know that everything they'd been through, everything they'd done in the past, every confession, every feeling, every touch... was gone, never to return.

Ayame still remembered after Mine had walked back into his life, when he'd received a second, very terrifying call from the main house. It had been Hatori, his guilt-laden voice requesting his presence on behalf of Akito. When the snake had gone to the head of the Souma family, uncharacteristically silent and on his best behavior (he didn't want to spook Akito into taking Mine away again), he listened calmly as Hatori spoke for Akito's interest, saying that Mine had been allowed back under the condition that Ayame take special precautions to not let such an incident happen again. If such a thing were to recur, the consequences would be far worse than Mine merely having her memories sealed away.

Ayame also learned that the idea had been Hatori's, after an absurd amount of begging to Akito, his guilt for having done what he'd done so severe that Akito had grown far too annoyed with the dragon, conceding to the idea so long as he'd shut up about it. Needless to say, Akito didn't want to hear the name "Mine" again for a long time, further guaranteeing that Ayame wouldn't slip up again.

On his way out, Ayame had resisted every urge to bear hug his best friend in gratitude for what he'd done for him. His emotions were building up, however, and at the idea of being able to spend his days with Mine again, to no longer be alone in that tiny shop as he feared, the snake nearly buckled from his relief. He was consoled with a light pat on the shoulder from Hatori, and Ayame simply smiled back, too overwhelmed to do much more at the moment.

The condition had been: Be careful. And careful he was. At great risk to his own heart breaking, Ayame limited his hands-on contact with Mine tremendously. He barely even stood within a yard of her anymore, and as much as he could see such a thing weighing heavy on Mine, as her past feelings for Ayame were slowly seeping back to the surface despite the heavy hypnosis she was under, the snake knew it was all for the best, and that in the end, Mine would still be safe there with him.

But the problem was, right then... Mine wasn't there. Where was Mine?

Where was his Mine?

Ayame, on the threshold of panicking, searched the entire store and the upstairs loft for his assistant, but to no avail. Mine wasn't there. Mine was gone. Mine was gone again.

Panic had a stranglehold on him, and despite his best efforts, he found himself shaking from the fear of being alone again. It wasn't just that he would be alone, but that he would be without Mine. He could be surrounded by all the people he loved, by Hatori and Shigure, by the sweet Kagura and Momiji, even by Yuki, but without Mine, it would be like... having cake with no flavor to it, or balloons filled with air instead of helium to make them float, or like being a free man to wander the world and it just stormed every day. The days would just be so empty.

His reawakened fear, remembered so clearly in his whole body, steered him to the couch in the waiting area, where he sat and started fishing through his pockets for his phone. Her cell phone... He could call her and see where she was, but... what if the main house had gotten to her again? What if Hatori had removed her from her current state-of-mind? No, Hatori hadn't the heart to do it a second time. If Akito had changed his mind about Mine being there with Ayame, then she could be taken away somewhere. Where? Ayame couldn't fathom what the house would do to her. Akito could be very sadistic. After hearing the horror stories of Yuki's purchase, the snake couldn't imagine what would be in store for an "outsider" who went against the family.

His fingers felt like stone; the just couldn't push in the buttons to call Mine's cell phone. If she didn't answer, or if the number was out of service, then it all just meant...

"Ayame?"

It was only the sound of that familiar, sweet voice that pulled him back into reality as his eyes shot up to the door, apparently having missed the sound of the bell the door made when it was opened. In the sunlight and glamor of the shop stood Mine, dressed in her favorite maid costume, and a box from a bakery held carefully in her arms. She looked a little disappointed.

"Aww, Manager, I thought you'd be out longer! I wanted to surprise you!" She stumbled into the shop, setting the box down on the coffee table and eagerly opening it up. "Look! I got us a cake! Red velvet, I know that's your favorite." She smiled sweetly and put the lid back on. "I gotta keep it refrigerated, though. We can enjoy it later." Picking the box back up, she made her way to the small kitchenette by the bathroom, all the while seemingly oblivious to Ayame's wide-eyed stare.

Ayame's heart felt like it had tried to restart itself a few times. He just wasn't sure what he had seen. Mine... was still there. She hadn't left at all. He wouldn't be alone. Everything was alright.

When Mine returned to the front of the store, she finally noticed Ayame's shocked expression and immediately went to him. "Manager, what's wrong? You look pale. Maybe you should have some cake now, it'll boost your blood sugar."

The silent moments that passed were quite awkward, but Ayame allowed it, managing to keep his jaw shut but his awe-struck eyes were tell-tale signs that he still wasn't fully grounded in reality yet. A soft hand on his forehead finally broke the spell, and he jerked away, quickly capturing her hand in his own. "Mine, I thought..."

"Thought what?" Her owlish eyes were curious, and finally, Ayame realized he could let it all go. Mine hadn't left, so there was no need to dwell on such horrifying memories.

He shook his head and smiled. "Nothing, I was just concerned that the store had been left alone."

"Oh, I'm sorry about that!" Mine stood, slipping her hand from her boss', and took a few steps back, smiling. "I just really wanted to surprise you with the cake!"

"Oh?" Ayame leaned back into the couch, feeling like he could finally breathe. "And what's the occasion for cake? You know I don't eat fattening things unnecessarily."

"It's the anniversary of when I first started working here! I thought it was an appropriate occasion for celebration!"

Ayame chuckled, finding great relief in the lightheartedness of the moment. "Yes, that is quite the occasion... I'm a little tired myself, but you go ahead and dig in. I'll join you in a moment." Closing his eyes, he relaxed against the couch, still trying to get his pulse to lighten from all the heavy internal panicking he'd just suffered. Besides, his stomach was just beginning to untwist itself from the knots; he couldn't keep anything down quite yet.

Mine sighed and sat beside him, keeping a habitual two-foot distance from him as he had so carefully performed himself since she'd started working there again. "Can you believe it? It's been a whole year... I didn't think I'd be lucky enough that'd it'd last this long."

Ayame almost mumbled out "Yeah, me neither," but knew better.

"Manager... I'm really glad you let me stay here. It's been so wonderful working with you, and I just love this shop! The outfits are all so beautiful..."

"Well, I have you to thank for that," Ayame said quietly, glancing over at her and winking. "Good clothes come from good seamstresses."

Mine blushed and looked down at her lap, smiling. "Yeah, but they're your designs. I'm not quite as creative as you."

"You'll get there one day," Ayame boasted, reaching over to pat her on the head. "As for right now, let's celebrate your skills currently."

"Good idea." Mine giggled and jumped to her feet, strolling past Ayame, but stopping just before making it to the kitchenette. "We should save some for Mr. Hatori."

This startled the snake a little. "You remem- know Hatori?"

"Sure! If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have been able to come back and work in the shop again." Mine continued on into the kitchen, leaving a dumbstruck Ayame on the couch.

"Wh... What did you say?"

He stood slowly, standing in the entrance of the small hallway that lead to the kitchen area. Mine poked her head out from around the doorway, smiling and returning the wink from earlier.

"Nothing. I didn't say anything, Ayame. You must be hearing things." Giggling, she disappeared back into the kitchen. "According to Mr. Hatori, I haven't said anything. I haven't seen anything. I haven't heard anything. I know nothing, and I'll always know nothing."

Mine knew nothing.

Mine "knew nothing".

And now... Ayame knew everything.

But he wouldn't say anything, of course. Neither would Mine. Now they were both trapped in the dark cage of the Souma, and Ayame could rot in there forever if need be, but the shining beam of light that was Mine was right there beside him, holding his hand and keeping her lips sealed, just as Hatori had instructed her. And no one, especially Akito, would be the wiser.

Ayame could finally, finally breathe easy, knowing Mine was safe from the main house, and would stay with him always.

Ze end.

AN: Another one of those stories that ended up being a lot longer than intended. I apologize for that but the words just kept flowing. One of these days I'll remember how to make a short-story SHORT.
I tried to keep the story canon with the notes made in Fruits Basket, how Touru suspects that Mine actually knows about the Zodiac curse but Mine doesn't ever acknowledge that she does. It's just one of those "Does she know? Does she not know?" things.
Slight spoiler:
Yeeeeees, I know Akito is a girl, but you will notice in the manga, all the way up until the last chapters, they refer to Akito as a him. I also know that Ayame knows that Akito is female, but again, they always reference Akito as male. Just noting this to stop the naysayers.

Review meh story.