"This is truly crazy," the blonde declared, readjusting her fake bunny ears as she stepped from behind the dressing curtain. Ayame let out a literal shriek of admiration, so she supposed, and began observing every inch of the costume, while the girl stood there rather red in the face. "Aya-kun, why are we doing this again?"

"Well, you claimed you wanted to give Shigure the best gift ever for his birthday in two days. Believe me, Usagi, nothing will make him happier," The silver haired man replied flippantly, in the astoundingly smooth, elegant voice he possessed. Strange that such a dignified tone could spout such lewd comments, intricately subliminal but still there. Her lips quirked and she smacked at Ayame's hand.

"Any more, and I'll think you're being a pervert Aya-kun." Usagi said with an air of nonchalance.

"Never, certainly. You are the picturesque image of perfection, my darling rabbit." Ayame responded, presenting her to the mirror, which he only allowed a glimpse if he approved. Usagi gasped at her own reflection; the frilled skirt, the low collar, the bunny ears! She looked like a--like a---

"Don't even say it, you look lovely." Well, not exactly what she had in mind, but it didn't exactly look bad on her. She shot Ayame a reproachful glance as she slowly turned in a circle, observing the outfit from all sides.

"Ayame, I look--this isn't what I had in mind for Shigure's gift." Her blue eyes searched his frantically, but it didn't seem that Ayame sympathized with her position. On the contrary, he was now mumbling to himself.

"Yes, it's a good thing I didn't have Mine-chan fit it, she wouldn't have done it justice. The maid touch to the dress really added to the whole effect," His golden eyes never flickered over Usagi's face, or he may have found it suitable to go dive into a bomb shelter. The flushed blonde growled, finally capturing Ayame's attentions, and he blinked at her.

"I had no intention of giving Shigure any sexual favors for his birthday, Ayame!" She blurted, her whole face turning a deep, rich scarlet. The silver haired man chuckled, patting her arm affectionately while he pointing to the changing curtain.

"If anything, you'll nosebleed him to death. Besides, if Shigure gets fresh with you then a blow to the head with something hard tends to stop him quite well." As usual, Usagi couldn't tell whether Ayame was being serious or joking. Wide-eyed, she changed into her normal clothes. Ayame wrapped the dress for her, despite protests, and handed it to her as she left. Before the blonde could object, Ayame hushed her and pushed the parcel in her hands.

"Just trust me on this one," he said, making Usagi burst into laughter. Ayame pouted at her.

"Trust Ayame! Now there's a concept." She left the shop, still giggling to herself, but with the dress in tow nonetheless.

xXx

Usagi threw the dress over her lounge chair as she slipped the heeled shoes from her feet, relishing them being flat against the floor. Tossing her purse towards the couch, she made a beeline for the kitchen to grab a snack. Her lunch at work had been drab, to put it lightly, but she'd been too busy to pause for long. Crackers from the vending machine hadn't been a great choice either.

Then of course, instead of stopping off for a fast food burger like she wanted, she'd promised Ayame she would meet him and discuss Shigure's gift. What a fiasco that turned out to be.

The blonde's cheeks flamed as she observed the parcel, perched so innocently on her living room furniture. Innocent, she snorted, grabbing a package of instant ramen from her cupboard. Living somewhat thrifty kept plenty of cash in her savings, and as far as foods go, you couldn't get thriftier than instant ramen.

The look on Shigure's face if she came walking out in that outfit, Usagi could picture it, and she laughed full out. Then, abruptly, she shook her head; she wasn't actually considering Ayame's outlandish idea...was she?

She thought on it so long that the water in the pot boiled down to almost nothing and she had to refill it to wait all over again. Her stomach did not like this, as it grumbled in protest. Okay, so maybe if it was like a practical joke, and not considered dirty, then she'd consider doing it.

But Shigure always thought on a perverted wavelength, and Ayame had accused her of liking the cheesy novel writer more than once. I mean seriously cheesy novels that only her friend Minako read, and that blonde was literally out of her mind. Even Hatori thought she liked Shigure, the only sane member of their little trio.

Well, maybe she did find him attractive. After all, if you overlooked his perverted ways, he was a funny guy and good looking to boot. Even if he did get annoying sometimes, and was a bit of a pedophile always talking about high school girls. But he usually just did that to irk her, more than anything.

But damn it he was cute.

And she boiled all the water away a second time.

xXx

Well, Hatori would give her the soundest advice. Usagi knew the slightly stoic man was very reasonable and usually straightforward with his opinions, if asked for them. The main Sohma house sort of gave her the creeps, but she called and Hatori told it her it was fine to drop by. She knocked gently on his office door, and walked in at his call.

The steady look he gave her made her all the more nervous, and her cheeks flamed as she realized how ridiculous the whole thing was. Regardless, she sat across from him and folded her hands in her lap.

"Shigure's birthday is tomorrow," she said, not really sure how else to start. Hatori raised his eyebrows, and nodded, showing he was fully aware of that. Of course he knew. He was one of his best friends. "Ayame said he'd help me out with a gift, but when he showed me what it was..."

"I see," Hatori said, and if he was amused or perturbed he didn't show it. He leaned back in his leather chair and gave her a piercing look. Her cheeks flamed again.

"Do you think Shigure would take it the wrong way if, well you know, just as a joke I wore the costume." Usagi blurted. Hatori didn't laugh at her, or change expressions much at all. He turned the chair away from her.

Of course Shigure would take the perverted point of view if Usagi showed up in one of Ayame's costumes, no question. But, Hatori knew, Usagi liked Shigure no matter how stubborn she was to admit it. He'd known that the first time he seen them together.

Shigure might like her too, you never knew with that fool. Hell, even he, stoic Hatori, could indulge in some fun every once in a while. He grinned to himself, surely a disturbing sight to anyone who knew him. Erasing the look, he turned back towards the waiting blonde.

"I'm sure it would be fine, if you wore the costume." He said conclusively, drawing a relieved sigh from the pigtailed girl. She bowed, and thanked him for seeing her, and left the office. Hatori pondered over his paperwork, and smiled to himself. He wouldn't be missing Shigure's birthday party this year.

xXx

Usagi wrinkled her nose at herself, observing the costume in her bathroom's full length mirror. She didn't look bad, if fact, she looked quite good. Ayame promised that Tohru and the two Sohma boys wouldn't be at Shigure's party, because that would simply be wrong. It would just be the trio and, well, her.

Her in a bunny/French maid outfit.

The scarlet tinted her pale cheeks again, and she giggled at how silly she was being. Really, she was acting like a high school girl. They were all four adults; it shouldn't be such a big deal. Well, kind of adults, despite the way some acted.

Okay, she would do it. End of story, of deliberation, of prancing in front of her mirror like an idiot. Besides, she could get Shigure real good with this. She'd have to tuck a Polaroid away to take a snapshot of his expression.

She looked down at her outfit a mentally sighed. She wouldn't be tucking much of anything away in it. Ah well, she'd hide it behind her back as she walked in.

Usagi jumped as her cell phone rang, and when she flipped it open, she recognized the number as Ayame's. She answered, almost hesitantly, with, "Hello Ayame."

"Usa-chan! My darling rabbit how are you? I was thinking, Shigure's gift would be even better if you popped out of this life-sized cake--" The blonde snapped her flip phone shut, face unbearably red with a mixture of anger and embarrassment. If the silver haired man had been standing in front of her, she might've punched a good time in the jaw.

Her blue eyes glanced over the clock on the wall. Only three hours until Shigure's party, and well, she had to find her Polaroid. That and some film.

xXx

"Aw, you guys shouldn't have. Where's Usagi, by the way?" Shigure asked, as he looked at the Cheshire grin on Ayame's face. Even Hatori had an odd expression, like he was suppressing laughter. Now that would be a sight, Hatori laughing.

"Shigure, I thought you'd never ask. Rabbit-chan, come in, come in!" His gold eyes glinted as waved his arms extravagantly at the door. As it slid open, the blonde walked in with her cheeks slightly pink. Her lips twitching in a smile.

The results couldn't have been better. Shigure's mouth dropped open, Hatori did actually laugh, and Ayame, well, he threw his arm around Shigure's shoulders and started asking what he thought.

Usagi whipped out her Polaroid and snapped the picture. It popped out of the camera, and slowly developed, and Usagi realized as the scene came into focus it would be one of her favorite pictures of all time. Hatori was mid-laugh, Shigure was still bug-eyed, and Ayame was rattling on with his mouth open comically.

"Oh, what a show! Come Hatori, our leave is now!" Ayame declared, dragging the now indifferent man from the room talking of his ingenious plan. Usagi blinked after them, and then turned back to Shigure.

"Ayame said to me this would be your best present ever. So, is it?" As she spoke, Shigure rose to his feet, his mouth no longer open at least. The blonde giggled as he came closer, backing into the wall.

"Your ears are crooked," he said, offering a playful grin as he placed both hands on the wall, at each side of her head. She giggled again; face slightly red now, looking punch drunk.

"Oh dear," she said, gasping a little as he leaned closer. Their lips touched, lightly at first, but it quickly delved into a more passionate lip lock. They broke apart for a moment, breathing heavily, until Usagi grinned up at him, "Happy Birthday, Gure-chan."

And it was indeed, the best gift Shigure ever received.

xXx

Uwa! Shigure and Usagi! This should delve the craving until someone writes a competent one. I just suddenly got this idea and just went for it. Hope you enjoy the mild fluffiness. :D

♥SachiNyoko♥