If you don't like Ayame or Mine, or Ayame and Mine, don't bother reading this. I've written some other ones that were a little more "romantic" as a girl would call it, but I don't feel inclined in posting them here, as there my be children on this site...

Cursed in Love

(Mine)

I don’t like Sundays. Not to sound sacrilegious or anything of course, but Sunday is my day off. That may seem a little crazy, but I love my work! Ever since I was a girl, I would make clothes. I started out with paper dolls, and then, when I learned how to sew, I made dresses and suits for all of my stuffed animals and new ones for my china dolls. I guess you could say that I was made to make apparel! Hee, hee! That is why I started working at Ayame’s shop after I graduated high school. That is why I became close friends with a beautiful and confident man who needed me. I’ve had a few people need me in my life, but not like he does. Believe me, if you ever meet Ayame Sohma-san, you would not be able to tell that he could ever need anybody. But there is a dark side to everybody’s moon, and I’ve seen his. About ninety percent of the time, he’s outrageously full of energy as he attacks an obstacle with fervor, heedless of the consequences; his or anyone else’s. He doesn’t mean to be aloof, but this can hurt if you are on the receiving end of all that energy. He creates masterpieces; the bits of fabric that go flying into the air are joined by ling, exclaiming words of joy. I’m pretty much the same. I’ve been told that a certain shine takes over my eyes, and some people are afraid of me when I get to that point. But when you love something that much… Let me tell you this. Making clothes is not the only thing I love. I love my family; my plump jolly mother, my hard-working dedicated father, my little sister, who loves me, but doesn’t understand my infatuation with making costumes, and my cat Stitches. She had kittens recently and I offered Ayame one, but he declined on account of all the fur. No wonder he frowns and brushes off my clothes nonchalantly sometimes. I don’t think cats are his favorite animal. I wonder what is? Maybe I’ll ask him.

But that day…was Sunday. I wouldn’t get to see him. I forgot to mention his other ten percent. Yesterday was one of those days. The light side of the moon was hiding, and I felt terrible for him. All I could do was let him rest his head on my shoulder. He has never tried anything inappropriate with me, since were are business partners. (Business is business after all!) But he has never let me hold him, like I so desperately wanted to do! It’s not like he’s not emotional enough either. Sometimes, when he’s depressed, I feel a damp spot on my dress after he’s leaned on me. But he always just winks and moves on like nothing happened. Some days it feels like I give him something, and he never returns the favor. But all I can do is be there for him…

I got out of bed that morning and looked out the window to a fresh coat of snow on the ground. Ayame always wears luxurious fur coats as he complains about the snow. One time, he lamented so much that I threatened to take his coat off, taunting that is wasn’t that cold. He got the same look on his face that he had when I offered to hug him. It’s the closest thing to alarm I’ve ever seen on him. But then he laughs extra loudly and winks at me. It’s the strangest thing…but mysterious. I like the mystery, but too much…

I know so much about him that there is only that little bit that I don’t know. That little bit gets irritating when you know a person like the back of your hand. I don’t like the boss hiding stuff from me. We’re such good friends…So that morning…

I walked in the snow to our shop, knowing he wouldn’t be there. (He’s not that hard of a worker.) I unlocked the door, and went straight to the counter. He always kept a spare sewing bag underneath the cash register on a shelf. In that bag was a small key hidden under a few pieces of cloth. Now, I wasn’t being too sneaky, since he knew that I knew the whereabouts of these things. With the small silver key in one hand, I opened a drawer and found the silver box shaped like coiled up snake. (Was it snakes that he liked? He seemed to decorate with them, although I never would have guessed.) I unlocked the box and opened it very carefully. This was the same box the he said was given to him from some prince in India or some such fantasy…hee! Inside it was…ba-doom! The key to his apartment upstairs! (Or his “chambers” as he so wittingly calls them.) With a quick look out the window to make sure his “beautiful car wasn’t out there shivering in the snow because its master forsook it,” I climbed the stairs two at a time, unlocked the door, and swung it open. The first thing I noticed was the smell of a rose-scented candle. Oh, I just knew it! I had told him time and time again that the shop could burn along with his house, but he insists on having the soft inviting glow welcome him home. I went over and blew it out, (I don’t want to be out of a job, thank you!) but I left a note, so he wouldn’t think a thief came in just to blow out a candle. It said:
Dearest Boss,
I came here this morning looking for something, so don’t become mad with hysteria trying to imagine what a dress thief might look like.
With love,
Your Loyal Seamstress

I almost scratched out the “with love” thinking he would read volumes into it, but he would only be offended if he found out what it said underneath the ink. (“You don’t love me?” I can just imagine.) Then I realized, why do I care if he reads too much into it, I do love him! That was why I went to his house that day to find one of his many address books so I could go to him. I was also planning on bringing a dress to Tohru. But my biggest reason for going was to tell him how I felt. I needed to see him! I also needed to find out what he is hiding…
Thumbing through his address book (one of them) I found what I was looking for in smooth, graceful hand writing:
Shigure Sohma
Aka: Shi-kun and Gure-kun
There was his address and phone number below. I thought about calling to make sure he was there, but I needed to bring Tohru-kun’s dress anyway, and who can’t resist a good surprise! Mwee hee hee!

Shigure’s forested home wasn’t really that far from the city, but pedaling through the snow with a large package strapped to the bike wasn’t the easiest thing in the world. But with my heart fiery with love, I persevered to the Sohma doorstep. I rubbed my gloved hands together, thinking this was going to be great. Ayame’s car was indeed parked next to the house. (Not forsaken after all!) I giggled to myself and nearly jumped up and down as I removed the straps from Tohru’s package. I marched up the snowy steps and rang the doorbell, knocking at the same time. (For best results, do both!)
“Yoo-hoo! It’s me!”
Then I heard a slight commotion from inside. I didn’t know Shigure had a dog… Then I realized what I did was very rude. You should never come calling without warning. There was another car, a black one, parked quite a bit further away from Ayame’s. Before I could think about it more, Tohru had opened the door, and although she looked a little frazzled, she was smiling.
“Tohru-kun!” I yelled, trying to ignore the butterfly in my stomach. (That’s right, there was only one!) “I brought you a surprise! Let’s go to your room so can…” I noticed that the dog was pacing nervously like he hadn’t been properly trained, and there was someone in a silk robe with blackish-purple hair staring at me. Suddenly he jumped up.
“Who is she?!” He thrust a finger at me, and I stepped back. I felt deep inside that I had done something wrong. Tohru tried to smile again.
“Akito-san,” she bowed. “It’s all right. She’s my friend, and she works for Ayame-san.” Where was Ayame? I started to tremble when this “Akito’s” eyes burned into me. I could feel that I didn’t belong and I had walked into something serious. I assumed the man standing next to Akito was Hatori, but where was Shigure, and what was wrong with that dog? Then I noticed the dog was gone. Tohru’s hand slipped into mine.
“Let’s go into…uh, the dining room…Mine-san.” She nearly ran with me into the next room. Ayame was at the table with Yuki. (They had managed to get closer together, yay!) Ayame looked very surprised to see me, and Yuki almost looked frightened. I jumped to explain as Aaya stood up, blinking back at me.
“I brought a dress for Tohru-san, you know, the one we were making? I also wanted to see you about…” Yuki stood up, almost putting a hand on my shoulder.
“Kuramae-san, maybe you should have called. None of us were expecting-”
“But surprises are the best! Right, Boss?” I said. Ayame laughed, but not very loudly.
“Of course, darling! I’m glad you have come!” He smiled, but I remembered the young man with the burning eyes, and I was starting to get scared.
“Who was that in the silk robe? He seemed very angry. I know I shouldn’t have, but…” Before I knew it, I was choking up. Tohru glanced at Yuki, then at Ayame. All three of them tried to comfort me at once, but my body leaned toward Ayame’s. He was the only one there that I really knew. He gently took the package from my hands and set it on the table.
“Come come Mine, don’t be upset. Perhaps we should take a walk outside for awhile.” He turned to Tohru and his brother.
“Please excuse us for a moment.” For some reason, Yuki almost looked horrified, and Tohru looked nervous. What was he going to tell me?

After Ayame told Akito he would be right back, and Akito waved dismissively at him, we were outside, slowly outdistancing the house. After some laughing and gibbering, he became serious.
“Mine, how did you find Shigure’s house? And what caused you to be so driven that you pedaled over here in the snow on a bicycle? Surely delivering a dress for Tohru wouldn’t give you that much pleasure. Is there something wrong? Is there something you need to tell me?” His hand was clasping mine, and although I was still wearing gloves, I like the contact. But I couldn’t take the secrecy anymore.
“Ayame, what’s going on? What are you keeping from me? Please…we’re so close…can’t you tell me?” As I looked into his eyes, mine started to overflow with hot tears. He let go of my hand and softly wiped the tears away. He sighed like he did when he was sad and silently crying against my shoulder. We had stopped walking, and he tilted my face up towards his.
“Mine, please don’t cry. It makes me feel absolutely horrible. I’m sorry everything happened like this. I am glad you are here and I do miss you on Sundays. But the head of my family expected me here today, along with a few other members. I should have told you, but I didn’t know you would…If you had known, I’m not sure you would have come.” I blinked at him.
“Why not? What could be so terrible about your family?” Ayame sighed again. He knelt down (in the snow!) and looked into my eyes like he was about to propose. I knew he was about to tell me something important.
“We have a secret. It is not only mine to keep, so I am not allowed to tell you. There are many things I have told you, I trust you, an I can share almost anything with you, but not this.” He smiled weakly, which was odd for Ayame.
“I think I should take you home. Tohru can show off the dress some other-”
I needed to tell him, like a person needs air. It was fighting to stay inside.
“Ayame, I love you! I want to be with you!”
Before he could respond, I had him in a warm embrace, and even as I savored a split second of his body touching mine, his slim waist around my arms, his racing heart (racing?) against my ear, everything seemed to explode around me. I clutched the air for a moment, and my glasses fogged up from my fearful tears, and what seemed like smoke. The first thing I could think of was that someone hurt Ayame. So I became subconsciously aware that I was screaming his name. But then I heard his voice softly coming from the ground. I saw his clothes, and I thought he had fallen down.
“Ayame?!” I knelt down next to his coat, and then I saw a small white snake looking up at me with a black, beady eye. I was about to try to scare it way whey I heard it talk to me. In Ayame’s voice!
“Mine, it’s all right! It is only me! I am the snake!” Then the snake claiming to be my boss let out one of his familiar laughs. I must admit it looked rather humorous coming out of a snake. At least it was humorous until it started twining itself around my leg!
“Eeek! What are you doing?! You’re not Ayame, he wouldn’t…” I admit Aaya could be very flirtatious at times, but he wasn’t as bad as…The snake spoke again.
“I’m cold, Mine. Take me back to the house before I freeze.” He sounded very weak. I bent down and it slithered from my leg to my arm. I still had my coat and it went into my sleeve. I almost screamed again, but then I thought, what if this is Ayame? Was this his secret? I must be dreaming or something…

When I came back inside, I was afraid of what might happen. We had been too far away from the house for them to hear the explosion and my screaming. Yuki must have heard something though, because he met me at the door.
“Where is Nii-san?”, was the first thing he asked me. The snake slowly poked out of my coat.
“Here I am, brother?” He feigned enthusiasm. Hatori came over and pulled Ayame out of my coat. He made a small sound of…embarrassment? Or was it fear? It was followed by a careful,
“Well, hello Tori!” But Hatori’s eyes were ice.
“How could you be so careless? Do you realize what I have to do now?” Ayame protested.
“It was only an accident, dear Hari-san. Mine confessed her love to me, and she couldn’t help but embrace me!” I flushed a little. Did he have to announce it to everyone?
“Well,” Hatori meant to say something, but was overcome with sadness as he looked at Ayame and me.
“Hatori, what’s…” I started. Suddenly Akito leaped up from the far side of the room, and marched over to me.
“You are not a part of us, and you will not become a part of us! I love this family! And they love me! I am the only one they have! They are mine!” His eyes were wide with hate for me, and I didn’t know why. Everyone in the room looked very nervous, and suddenly Shigure laid a hand on my shoulder.
“Mine, I think you need to come with-” Then there was that exploding sound again, and Ayame was back! Only…
Shigure’s hand covered my eyes, smudging my glasses. I tried to wriggle out of his grasp. I didn’t care how I saw him, just as that I knew he was all right. I felt someone else next to me, and then I was led into another room. When I could see again, I saw that I was in an office. I saw Hatori, and he looked sad. Very sad. Shigure looked at him.
“Hatori, this is…She’s…”
“I know, Shigure, but Akito is here. There is no way to escape this. Now let’s get this over with quickly before-”
The door flew open with a crash, and Ayame stood there, out of breath and hastily clothed.
“Hatori! Stop! Please don’t do this, not to her! She can keep a secret! Don’t erase them! They are hers! Hers and m…” He crumpled to the floor, his long silver hair falling across his face, hiding it. I couldn’t believe it, but he was shaking with sobs. Confident, cheerful Ayame had become a puddle of tears.
“Please, Tori, please…” His voice was a choked whisper. I started to cry too. What did he mean, “Don’t erase them?” Erase what? I was scared.
Then Akito came in, followed by Yuki. Yuki looked shocked to see Aaya like this, and he joined Shigure, who was hovering above Ayame. Akito went straight to Hatori.
“What are waiting for? Do it? Erase her memories! In fact, make her forget Ayame. Make her forget she ever worked at that idiotic costume shop. Then maybe he’ll learn to stay on the inside where he belongs.” Ayame made a sound that was so deep with anguish that it tore at my heart. I cried harder. Make me forget? What was wrong with this man? I could never forget Ayame.
“No, Akito! Please…” Akito went over to Ayame and suddenly yanked his hair up so that he was forced to look into his eyes.
“How dare you say no to me! You worthless fool!”
I tried to move, but remained frozen, Shigure leaped to Aaya’s defense. He grabbed Akito’s hand.
“Akito, don’t hurt him. He didn’t mean to-” Shigure’s voice was soft.
More tears spilled out of Ayame’s golden eyes, but he held them on Akito. I was moved by his resolve. I had never seen him like this before. Yuki put his hand on Akito’s.
“Let him go, Akito. Please…just let him go.” Ayame’s eyes flickered over to me, and a knowing smile flashed on his lips. Now wasn’t the time to be happy about Yuki!
“Mine, I love you. Don’t forget…don’t forget me. I lo-” His words for me were cut off by Akito’s hand slapping hard across his face. He gasped, and dropped to the floor, shuddering. That was all I could take. Akito wasn’t my family! I jumped up and flew at him.
“Leave him alone!” Before I could touch him, Hatori grabbed me. Akito only laughed, and nodded at him. Hatori put his hand on my forehead, and I saw a flash of light. The last thing I heard before it went dark was Ayame screaming my name and sobbing for me.

(Ayame)

I was filled with so much pain and anguish as I watched her fall backwards that I remained frozen as Hatori helped Tohru carry Mine away. My face pulsed hotly, and part of me was overjoyed to feel Yuki’s hand rest on my head. But I hurt so badly inside, that sliver of joy was faint. How could he take her away from me? I didn’t know he cared that much that I lived on the “outside”. Akito had never been interested in me, he had Yuki. But I would not let him “claim” Yuki anymore, either, not my little brother. I suddenly hated Akito, and I did my best to glare at him through my tears. He had ruined me. Without Mine, I couldn’t run the shop. I couldn’t make the costumes I loved so much. Without the shop, I was out of work, and neither did I have a home. I could live with Shigure for awhile, but I couldn’t for very long. Shigure didn’t need one more person in his house. How could Akito do this to someone he “loved”?
Hatori and Mine were gone. Besides me, only Yuki, Shigure and Akito remained in Gure’s small office. I stood up shakily, brushing the hair off my face painfully. But I collapsed into Shigure, still weak and crying. I started to become dizzy, and Gure held me to him. Akito soon left, but not after he touched me and whispered,
“It’s for the best, little snake.”
I felt anger swell up in me, but he was already out of the office, yelling for Tori to come take him home. Before Hatori left, he whispered softly to me,
“Trust me, Ayame. I may have betrayed myself, but I didn’t do it to you. You are like a brother to me.” Then he turned to Shigure. “Both of you are. Take care of each other while I’m gone.”
Then I heard the front door close, and Akito whining outside. Yuki came close to me.
“I’m sorry, Nii-san. I wished I could have…” I turned from Shigure to look Yuki in the eyes.
“No, my brother. You did more than I ever hoped you would. Thank you for caring for me.” He touched my shoulder and laughed modestly before leaving.

(Mine)

The words Hatori told me still echoed in my head: “Pretend you are asleep until I am gone.” He had said this in the smallest of whispers when he and Tohru took me to her room. Then I was down on a very soft, large bed and I did what I was supposed to do. But I thought, how is it that I still remember who they are? How is it that I still remember…Ayame…

(Ayame)

I was sitting at the table with Shigure and a cup of tea to calm my nerves when Tohru came rushing in. She whispered something to Gure, and his eyes widened.
“How did he…? Are you sure? Maybe we should…” I’m not one to be left in the dark.
“What happened, Shi-kun?” I looked at Tohru, so shy and flustered.
“Ayame-san, I think she…Mine-san remembers you.” I leapt up.
“What? But how?” Then I remembered what Hatori had said: “I may have betrayed myself, but I didn’t do it to you.” Hari had erased Kana’s memories because it was too painful for her to love him anymore. But he couldn’t do the same to me because Mine needed to love me, and I needed her. I silently thanked Hatori in my head, and leapt up, dashing to the stairs, Shigure and Tohru following. He erased the memory of me transforming into a snake, but he hadn’t made her forget me! And maybe she still…

(Mine)

I opened my eyes to see Ayame, and oh, he was a beautiful sight! I remembered him! I shot up on Tohru’s bed as he walked over me. His eyes were searching, daring to believe.
“Mine? Do you…do you know who I am?” I reached you and clasped his hand.
“Ayame, I still remember you! He didn’t take…” Before I could say anymore, I felt his warm lips on mine, and I tasted salt from his tears of joy.

That night, I had a dream about a silver-white snake in the snow, its beady black eyes staring up at me. Then it laughed in Ayame’s voice and I started to remember…