Hop, Step, Jump!
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Ikuto saved Amu, yet again, from falling from a deadly height. And again, he dropped her off on her balcony, making a perverted remark. He would chuckle at her blush as he leapt from rooftop to rooftop, earning the usual, 'Hentai neko-mimi cosplay otoko!' from the blushing pinkette. ((Perverted cat-ear cosplaying guy!))

---------Earlier---------

"Kyaa~!" Amu screamed, a normal reaction from a girl at the age of 12.
"You know, you've fell enough to not scream, considering I do save you every time." The blue-haired boy claimed as he landed safely on one knee, propping up the girl with the other.
"S-Shut up!" Amu exclaimed, blushing in embarrassment.

"Should you really be saying that? I mean, I could've let you fall to your death. I could at least get a 'Thank you, Ikuto,' once in a while." The boy looked that I-could-care-less/-rebellious-teenage-look, but was thinking something quite the opposite.

"Thanks, Ikuto," the cool-n'-spicy character kicked in, sarcasm tone clear. After sitting the girl down, he kneeled and put his hand across his chest in feign of politeness.
"It was my honor, ohime-sama," Ikuto smirked. [Ohime-sama=my princess] If it was any other girl, they would be swooning at his feet with hearts in their eyes, but this wasn't just a regular fangirl, it was Hinamori Amu. ((To those unacquainted with the term "Fangirl", it means a female basically drooling over a guy from anime/manga, example: Becky with L from Deathnote. Well, this A/N is turning out pretty long, so…)) Amu just looked ready to elbow him in the gut, with those piercing golden eyes that shot daggers. That is, to anyone else other than Ikuto. He knew her soft side, her annoying, persistent side, her cute side, her sweet, caring, understanding side, all about her. Those eyes that were so intimidating to guys until they got the nerve to confess, and then get a flat 'You're kidding, right?' were the soft, delicate, deep honey-colored ones of the girl who stole Ikuto's- and a whole lot others'- heart. She may not know it, but she has Ikuto's heart in the palm of her hands, she's got him wrapped around her little finger ((Too many romance manga, although, I guess it doesn't help listing to 'Nanchu koi wo yatteruu You Know?' or 'What a Love I'm in, You Know?' by Berryz工房 **Don't own *nods*)) Amu just flicked his forehead and said, "Nice try, you know I'm not like your freaky fangirls, geki-otoko no ko," Amu complained, offended he would even try to play with a girl's feelings, hers no less. [Geki-otoko no ko=playboy, I looked that up XD]

"Amu, I'm hurt," he pouted whilst placing a hand over his heart.

"Nakimushi Shounen," Amu muttered.
"Bi-shounen," Ikuto corrected. Amu sighed and rolled her eyes. [Nakimushi=crybaby, shounen=boy, bi-shounen= what fangirls call cute guys]
"Somebody hasn't changed, I see," Amu giggled. Ikuto heard her faint whisper and moved behind her.

"Not at all," he rested his chin on her shoulder as the blush slowly crept to her cheeks, a deep scarlet at that.

"I-I-Ikuto?!" she gasped, flustered and irritated.

"Hm?" he didn't seem to listen. Picking her up bridal-style, Ikuto carried her to the shade of a nearby Sakura tree, placing the squirming girl softly on his lap. Wrapping his arm around her waist, Ikuto made sure she wouldn't move. ((I know quite a few girls that would never leave that position *cough* Grace *cough*)) Ikuto rested his chin on her shoulder and played with a lock of Amu's hair as she muttered curses and squirmed in his close embrace.

"Ikuto, move," the girl was, indeed, different than all the other girls he knew.

"Eh~, but I don't want to, boku koishii," the boy was known for playing with girls' emotions, and she wasn't going to fall for it. Yet. *Gets hit by Amu* Fine! [Boku koishii= my darling]

"Hop, step, jump," Ikuto muttered as he grabbed her elbow before she could break one of his ribs.

"W-What," Amu asked, very confused.
"Well, you say that when you do a character change, right?" Ikuto leaned in closer, resting his head on hers.
"Y-yeah, so?" Amu blushed deeper, just when we all thought it couldn't get redder!

"It's cute," he nuzzled her hair, "Almost as much as you are," he breathed, making the girl gasp.

"Ikuto, what do you m-mean?" the girl stuttered.

"I mean that your character change is cute, just like you!" he held her closer.
"Really?" Amu said warily, not in the mood for one of his tricks.

"Do you think I'd lie to you?" He raised an eyebrow. Amu thought for a moment.

"Maybe…?" Amu's brain was processing something very difficult. 'Ikuto thinks I'm cute? No way, that couldn't possibly be what I just heard! I need my ears checked, or…could I be right? Could Ikuto truly think that I'm cute?' her cheeks flashed at the thought. From the beginning she had always secretly thought he was one of the most handsome boys she had ever seen, and he thought the same way? There must've been some mistake.

"Amu, I'm telling you the truth, I really do think that," Ikuto was trying his hardest to get through her stubborn little head. Amu nudged herself closer against his chest as a wind picked up.

"I never knew you had a sincere side, too," Amu smugly commented.

"Look who's talking," Ikuto said, holding even closer.

"Ikuto, take me home, please?" Amu nestled herself closer into his embrace.

"Okay," he paused, imaginary light bulb forming above the hentai's head, "On one condition,"

"What do you want this time?" Amu complained.

"I'll tell you when we get there," Ikuto's plan had just snapped into place like a puzzle. ((Rylee: I hate puzzles! Me: Yes, Rylee, I remember that. Grace: 0-0? Me: *sigh* I'll tell ya later.)) Ikuto picked up the girl and, cat ears and tail appearing, leapt unnoticed from building to building. Amu still thought about what Ikuto had been saying over and over. Was he telling the truth? She still wasn't sure.
"Amu, you can get off now," Ikuto's voice broke her out of her thoughts.

"O-Oh, right," Amu awkwardly got out of his grip onto her balcony, secretly wishing she could stay like that a bit longer. A never-ending blush slinked its way back to her cheeks as she noticed she had unconsciously wished that Ikuto would hold her like that longer.

"I-Ikuto," Amu began, "I'm k-kind of confused,"

"What about?" Ikuto began to play with a lock of her hair again.

"Well," Amu averted her eyes and blushed. Amu reached out and took Ikuto's hand in hers, startling Ikuto. She held his palm against her chest.

"A-Amu?! What are you-?"

"Can you feel my heart beat, how fast it is, I mean?" This calmed Ikuto down a bit.

"Geez, what's wrong with you, is it normally this fast?" Ikuto asked.

"Only when I'm around you, I don't really understand why, though," Amu admitted.

"That is strange, I think I know what to do," Ikuto said, moving his hand away.

"Amu, walk over there and press you back against the glass," Ikuto said, pointing at her balcony door.

"O-Okay," Amu did as he said. Ikuto walked right in front of her and lifted her chin with his hand, the other on the glass right next to Amu's head. Ikuto looked right into her eyes, causing the blush to deepen.

"I-Ikuto, what are you…?" Amu began as Ikuto closed his eyes and leaned closer. Ikuto forced the kiss on Amu, but she wasn't really mad. Quite different, she was happy. It may have been a test to see if his theory was correct, but Ikuto definitely enjoyed it. Tapping impatiently, Ikuto's tongue pleaded entrance to her mouth. The gentle graze of lips became a passionate kiss when Amu made the mistake of parting her lips slightly. Next thing she knew the population of tongues just doubled in her mouth. With a thump! She was pinned against the balcony door.

----In Amu's Room----

"N-Nani? What was that thumping sound?" Ran sat up groggily, looking for the source of the sound.

"Go back to sleep, it's probably just Amu-chan falling down on her way home," Miki rubbed her eyes, "Desu~," coming from Su.

"Okay, if you guys say so," Ran fell back into her egg, snoring.
-----Back with Amu & Ikuto-----

Amu stood there, waiting for Ikuto to finish up and get onto his own territory. No thought went through her mind except to stay calm, and kill him if he even thought about teasing her. Slowly Ikuto slipped his tongue through her mouth to his, and reluctantly moved away.

"Well, Amu, how do you feel?" Ikuto asked after they caught their breathes.

"Violated," Amu replied coldly. Ikuto rolled his eyes and sighed.

"I mean your heartbeat, baka."

"Oh," Amu placed her hand over her heart, "I-It's faster than ever," she replied.

"Thought so," Ikuto noted, "Amu, I'm not sure how it feels to not notice it yourself, but," Ikuto was having trouble bringing himself to say it, "Amu, you've fallen in love with me," Ikuto said. Amu---

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---TBC in Chapter 2:..well, I haven't thought of a name yet :\