My First Shugo Chara story. I don't own Shugo Chara!

There wasn't anything she could say to him. Not when he was like this. Beaten, bloody, broken. So instead she stayed silent, holding him close and cushioning his limp body against hers. For once, her Shugo Chara's were quiet, retreating into their eggs as they realised she didn't want nor need them at that moment.

His clothes were torn, filthy and bloodstained though where the blood was coming from, Amu couldn't tell. When she'd first found him curled up in her bed, she had panicked. After trying and failing to wake him, she'd done her best to clean him up, all the while blushing heavily in embarrassment. Had he woken up, their position would've been quite awkward with her leaning over him and dragging a damp cloth over his skin. But he hadn't woken and that was how she'd figured out that he had no injuries.

She left his dirty clothes as they were, unprepared to deal with a situation where she would have to see him like that. Part of her, a previously unknown and awkward part ached to pull his shirt away though Amu had trouble understanding why she wanted to do this. He already thought she was a perverted kid, she didn't need to help him out in his accusations and stripping his clothes from him would certainly do that. Her mind flicked back to what Ikuto had said about his ears.

"Perverted kid. Don't touch my ears. That's my weakness."

Her hand had moved of its own violation towards the place on his head where the ears appeared but stopped short as she realised what she was doing. Instead, she moved to touch his soft hair like that's what she'd been aiming to do all along. As she petted Ikuto's damp hair, Yoru spoke from his perch on her shoulder.

"He cares about you, you know."

Amu was startled out of her reverie. "What?"

"He cares about you. I've seen it. He tries to protect you from Easter's plots and he didn't want to come here. He only agreed because he was about to collapse and he couldn't stay out in the cold again."

Amu looked again at Ikuto's sleeping face. He'd been protecting her? Even while being controlled by Easter. Her gaze softened unconsciously. It was snowing now and the temperature had been rapidly dropping from about three days ago. Briefly, Amu had wondered if the sudden weather change was a reaction to all the X-eggs around lately but she'd dismissed that idea as ridiculous. And he'd slept out in that cold? Dressed in the clothes he had on now, Amu was surprised he hadn't died of frostbite or at least caught pneumonia.

The only possession he had on him was a wooden violin case clutched under his arm. Despite his unconscious state, he still clutched at it like his only lifeline and when she'd tried to move it from his grasp, his face had grown troubled and his sleep fitful. Amu had left it with him as there seemed no other action she could take.

Sometime during her examination of him, Ikuto had woken but hadn't given any indication until her eyes met his and she jumped back, startled.

"Were you watching me sleep? That's kind of disturbing. You are such a pervert, kid." His eyes slid shut again but Amu knew he was still awake from the slight teasing smirk that reached his mouth.

"Shut up! I'm not a pervert! I was just-" She broke off before finishing and looked down at her hands, ashamed that she'd been worried for the enemy. Ikuto moved and then she felt fingers under her chin, forcing her to look up and into the slitted eyes.

"You were just what?" Ikuto's voice was smooth, coaxing her to tell him as his eyes held her's prisoner. Gaping slightly, Amu finished her sentence.

"Worried. I was worried about you." His eyes were inscrutable as seconds passed and he seemed to examine her for deceit. Finally, he smiled ruefully before tilting her head down and kissing her forehead chastely. Blood rushed to her cheeks as he chuckled. Arms surrounded her and brought her down to lay close to him, held in a warm embrace. His breath stirred her hair briefly as he spoke.

"Thank you princess."

She was so young, just a child… He couldn't stay here and put her in danger. He wouldn't. With one last look at his sleeping angel, Ikuto turned to jump out the window.

"Grow up kid. Hurry and grow up… I'll be waiting for you."

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