As Lovers Go
Pairing: NadeshikoxKukaixYayaxTadasexAmuxIkuto 8D;
Disclaimer: I don't own Dashboard Confessional OR Shugo Chara. Life just isn't fair.
BY THE WAY, THIS IS MY WEDDING PRESENT FOR MY BEAUTIFUL WIFEY NINJA. x33
Don't be a cheater, kids!
Chapter One
Well, there was a lot of regret and a lot of that resentful feeling right about now. She could feel it boiling up in her stomach, gnawing at her insides. It refused to go away even when she willed it too. She closed her eyes and tried to shove it away with as much force as she could muster, and yet it was still there when her eyes opened, adding guilt into the stir of emotions in her system. So she was over-emotional. So were a lot of people.
But the guilt was there because she really shouldn't feel the regret and resentment, but it was so obvious she did. So very and painfully obvious that even that mischievous Easter agent had picked up and commented on it. How utterly embarrassing, especially since she hadn't wanted to hear it from anyone in the first place and then it just had to be that perverted cat who used every opportunity to hit on her. Amu didn't feel like being hit on. She felt like crap. No lie.
At times like this Pepe-chan should be her shugo instead of Yaya's. All she wanted to do was whine. It wasn't fair. It really wasn't. It hadn't been fair at all. But in reality it had been extremely fair which was by far the most aggravating thing about the whole situation Amu found herself in. When something you hate is actually allowed and fair and... and not only that, people thought it was cute. If she wasn't so jealous, she might have agreed. But that was besides the point because the pink-haired guardian was absolutely filled to the very brim with jealousy. So jealous, in fact, just about everyone but the oblivious love-struck couple had picked up on it.
And they had told her it was fair too. But she hadn't listened. Sure, she had heard their words, but had she paid attention? Of course not. She couldn't pay attention to anything besides the fact he was not with her. It drove Amu insane because he should be with her. It was just the way it should be. Yet it wasn't that way because he was with Yaya.
And how could she be so resentful when she'd had these feelings for so long? How many times did
they meet alone? How easy would it have been to confess her feelings? There was no doubt in her mind that it would have been extremely easy. But it was all for naught because now Tadase was not with her and probably never would be.
Tadase was dating Yaya now because Yaya had asked him too. And Amu was undeniably and unbelievably jealous because she did not have the courage to ask and she had wanted too so badly. Yaya had beaten her to it, but that wasn't exactly fair to say because Amu had simply had so long to confess, and after a few years when she still hadn't Yaya probably became fed up with waiting. But that also wasn't fair to say because Yaya hadn't known that Amu liked Tadase. Actually, no one really knew that she had liked Tadase. Nadeshiko did, but that was all. And Nadeshiko was the one who had broken the news of the couple to her a few days ago, with a slightly sad tone but nothing like Amu had desperately hoped for. If Nadeshiko had sounded more sympathetic, it would mean that it wasn't fair! But Nadeshiko hadn't been sympathetic at all, really.
It just wasn't fair that it was so fair. It wasn't fair that Tadase and Yaya could be so happy when Amu felt so utterly miserable. Just watching them walk together holding hands and smile lovingly at one another was enough to make her feel like pulling out her hair. Enough was enough! Why did they insist on torturing her by waving her way when they passed on their happy little couple strolls?!
It was all a conspiracy. A 'get Amu' plot of some sort because if it wasn't, then it was just cruel.
And Amu simply couldn't stand it anymore. There was only so much she could handle of the boy she loved being—kissing—someone else. And she had a plan to stop it.
And for some reason, that damn cat could always find her. Ikuto always knew when she was up to something. She would never know how, but he did. He appeared out of nowhere the day she was planning her attack.
"... Boo."
"Ahhh!" Amu had jumped, a huge blush growing over her face and she spun around to glare. "Ikuto, what do you want?"
"What are you doing?"
"That's none of your business." Amu turned around, continuing to spy on Tadase and Yaya. That is, until she felt his breath on her neck.
"Ahh! Would you quit that!?"
"No."
"You're so annoying!"
"You're going after the Kiddie King?"
Amu pouted. How did he know?
"Why should you care?"
"Hn." Ikuto jumped the railing and gracefully landed on the floor below, but not without first running his hand smoothly along Amu's backside.
"Ikuto..!" He only smirked at her whine, walking away without even acknowledging it.
Amu huffed. That cat definitely knew how to push her buttons. More like jam her buttons repeatedly so that the machine broke. But that wasn't important.
This was one of the only times she could catch Tadase alone. She crept into the hallway, hoping he was still in there. And alone. It was after school, so he should be. Everyone else should have already gone home for the day.
Amu pushed open the door, peeking into the boys' bathroom. She smiled when she saw Tadase alone and washing his hands. She entered and silently as she could.
"... Tadase-kun?"
"Ah, Hinamori-san, how are you?" Tadase smiled at her, still washing his hands. Amu waited, a small smile on her face until he'd realize-
"H-Hinamori-san!? W-What are you doing here?"
"I needed to talk you you."
"We can do that outside of the boys' bathroom."
"No. This is a very... private conversation."
Tadase blinked, and a concerned look flashed across his face. "Is everything alright?"
Amu tilted her head to the side and ran over her speech in her head. It had seemed so perfectly planned out until now. She was nervous. Being near him automatically screwed with her head. She opened her mouth and paused, the words dripping off her tongue not quite making it out.
"Hinamori-san?"
"T-Tadase-kun..."
"Is everything okay? You aren't sick, are you?" He pressed his hand gently against her forehead. Amu blushed and her expression became even more flustered.
"N-no. It's just... Tadase?"
"Yes?"
"Will you go out with me?"
The silence was deafening as Amu's hopeful eyes locked with Tadase's completely shocked ones.
"W-Will I what?"
"G-go out with me?"
Tadase paused, his mouth now hanging open. He looked down to his shoes and then up back at Amu.
"I-I... But Yaya...?"
"I really like you, Tadase. But I don't want to mess anything you have with Yaya up. If you truly care for her, then I'll..."
"No!"
Amu looked up, her eyes now meeting with desperate crimson ones.
"Tadase?"
"I... Amu... I really like you. I just never would have thought... I mean, you're with Ikuto a lot, and... I..."
"Tadase?"
"Yeah?"
"Shut up." Amu pushed him against the wall in the bathroom, gently pressing her lips against his. She pulled away quickly. The two were both blushing.
"So...?"
"But Yaya-chan, she really likes me. I like her too. I just... I really like you, Amu."
Amu smiled. "Well, um... You could keep going with Yaya. And then we could just meet on the side, occasionally and stuff. And once Yaya is over you then we could date."
"But isn't that cheating?"
"No, not at all." Well, lying never really hurt anyone.
"Alright." Tadase smiled at her. "So we just meet occasionally."
"Right."
They stared at each other.
"Can occasionally mean now?"
"Yes."
Their roles reversed as Tadase pushed Amu into the wall, letting his lips linger against hers.
And as they kissed, Ikuto dropped from the ledge outside the bathroom to the ground. He'd heard the whole thing. Ikuto bit his tongue.
This was going to be harder than he thought.
I hoped you liked it. x333 Next chapter is coming. Eventually. And no, i won't tell you who Amu is going to end up with. That's the reason you read the story with anticipation. xD Thank you for reading and please review!