A/N: Hello fellow Tadamu and Shugo Chara fans! Welcome to a new one-shot I've made! Basically, this is an idea that came to mind after I woke up a few nights ago from a dream I had. It involved only SOME of what is typed up below. Hopefully it makes sense to you LOL (I also apologize for the cheesy title) And hopefully the beginning part of this story isn't too depressing for you (crosses fingers) or that the plot isn't too confusing, because I've never done this type of writing before. Also, for those of you who liked the beginning of my Shugo Chara chapter story called "When I'm With You", I'm almost done with the next part, so I hope I can have that up soon for you.

ENJOY THIS FANFIC AND PLEASE COMMENT! I love to hear feedback ^^

NO AMUTO is in this story. It is ALL TADAMU. Amuto fans, please do not spam the review section with anti-Tadamu flaming or ranting. Thank you =)

Quick Summary- In attempts to comfort a friend, can a simple gesture turn into something much more? A TADAMU ONE-SHOT (Genres: Angst, Romance Ages: Both of them are about 19 years old)

Can I Hug You?

A Shugo Chara fanfiction by Anime17

The life of a young adult can be complicated. But can complication quickly rise in a single event?

College had enough challenges.

She didn't need what had taken place to pop up into her life all of a sudden.

All she could hear were her own footsteps. She was so upset that she didn't even take notice to her cries of sadness.

Her life had been mostly happy up until this point. Why had a single decision destroyed one of the things she held most dear to her?

She had reached the breaking point. She purposely didn't care where her feet took her.

In that change of mind she found herself loosing her balance and crashing onto the cold ground beneath her.

She didn't care.

She couldn't feel physical pain at that moment even if she wanted to.

She was kneeling on the cement, and she was surprised she could still see her bloody and skinned knees through the golden eyes which were tear-stained and blurry.

I knew this was going to happen someday...Why am I letting it take this toll on me?

Her hands turned into fists of frustration.

My emotions are taking over. I can't stop feeling like this.

"Amu-chan!"

I don't know what the point of answering that person is. I don't want to talk.

"Amu-chan!"

I just want to cry.

Someone desperately shaking her made her head snap up.

"Amu-chan...Are...you going to be okay?"

The girl didn't speak or move in reply.

"I hate seeing you like this, and I know it's hard to accept reality. Please...just be okay..."

"Ta...Tadase-kun..." Amu slightly muttered in a quivering breath.

Even in the distraught of knowing she was terribly heart-broken, Tadase smiled at the fact she had said his name.

Amu's eyes glistened as she finally made full eye-contact with him, "Tadase-kun...how were you able to get through it? How?"

Tadase's heart sunk. He didn't know how to answer at first.

"It was hard," he spoke quietly, "I know that Kiseki won't ever return to me again. Let's face it. We're older now and...when I finally realized my true dream for my life he..."

"...disappeared," Amu finished for him, "Just like...my charas have..." her tears began to fall once more.

"Amu-chan..." Tadase lifted her head up, "Amu-chan, listen to me. It's always hard to believe this...It took me a while, too...but, even if you won't see Ran, Miki, Su, or Dia in true form again, they are always inside you. They are a part of you. Nothing can ever change that, no matter what circumstances arise and no matter what we choose as our destiny."

Amu didn't smile, but after a while she nodded to show her appreciation.

The blonde-haired boy, if he was even young enough to still be considered a young boy, was very concerned for his best friend. But, at the same time, he wasn't surprised by her response, especially since he had acted in a similar fashion when his chara vanished about a year ago.

It had happened to all of them up to this point, the former guardians and friends...except for Amu. She was the last one who experienced it: the fact that their "would be self" in live form was gone.

It was no wonder she was so upset. She had witnessed all of her friends go through it. She must've always dreaded the day she would have to go through the same thing.

Still, Tadase wasn't about to give up on her. In the past she never gave up on any of them and was always there with a smile and positive, kind words.

In fact...she had been the most helpful to him.

Amu Hinamori. His true friend...

...and the only person he had ever truly loved.

After junior high they had been apart for some years. It was a trying time. The two were finally reunited during their first year of college, and at that point all of Tadase's feelings for her had flooded back to him.

He had never let go of those feelings. They had just been deep inside him, waiting to return when he saw her again.

"Amu-chan," he spoke once more, gaining some courage, his cheeks faintly rosy.

Amu found strength to speak this time, "Y-Yes?"

All Tadase did before speaking was draw his hand back that was holding her chin up to place it atop of her own hand, which was unceasingly trembling.

"Can I hug you?"

In all of Amu's years of knowing Tadase, he had never asked such a thing. They had never before shown any type of intimacy, even as simple as a hug, even though they were close friends.

Her eyes slowly lit up, but only with a small sparkle of hope in them.

"S-sure...I guess..." she answered.

Tadase didn't hesitate, and in his caring nature he gently brought his arms around Amu's shivering form.

Amu's breath hitched in her throat as she let out a fragile, almost inaudible sound. At that moment it was as if her troubles and worries were also Tadase's...

He was helping her carry her burden.

Had he always been doing that for her? Of course...she just hadn't really noticed it in this way before.

Tadase's arms embraced around her waist even tighter, and then he brought up a hand to run through her pink locks of hair.

He breathed a silent breath and spoke those three words Amu constantly heard from him every day...

"I love you."

But it was different this time.

Why? Amu couldn't explain it. It wasn't the way he said it. It wasn't the fact that he was also hugging her at that instant.

It must have been because her tears suddenly stopped. The hope that had only flickered in her moments before suddenly grew. The memories of them together suddenly came to her mind.

Before she realized it, her lips moved.

However, her voice wasn't loud enough for Tadase to hear anything she was saying.

"What is it?" he whispered.

Amu buried her face into his chest as she returned the favor, her hands clinging to his shirt.

"I love you, too," she murmured faintly, "I love you, Tadase-kun."

Tadase's heart stopped. His mind was blank. His eyes widened.

Had she...really said it?

She loved him?

He then heard her crying again.

"I love you...so much," she repeated, "I'm...sorry..." her voice was muffled between sobs.

"A-Amu...chan..."

Amu suddenly spoke up, "I'm so sorry!" Her cries grew louder, "I was just so scared!"

"Scared of...what?"

Amu sighed, "I don't know..."

"It's okay," Tadase assured, "It's okay that you're crying."

"No...No, it's not that!" she corrected him, "I should've shared my feelings sooner and I'm sorry I didn't! I always wanted to be with you. I'm so sorry..."

Tadase felt his own cheeks becoming wet...

"So...So you really meant it?"

He drew back from the hug, and they both looked up, moisture still beading up in each of their eyes.

...and their gaze never broke away.

"You...You love...me?" Tadase asked Amu...still uncertain for some reason.

Her face became red, and then she involuntarily found herself moving closer to him.

Tadase felt a light peck on his cheek from Amu's soft lips.

He didn't need her to audibly answer his question anymore.

As soon as she had drawn back to look up at him again, the palm of his hand met her cheek.

Not a second sooner, Tadase's mouth met Amu's in a warm, tender kiss, his free hand gingerly coming back around her waist. Amu's arms ran across his shoulders. She now knew everything was going to turn out alright, as long as they had each other.

Their eyes were closed.

They couldn't hear any sounds other than their rapidly beating hearts.

Time had frozen in that instant.

They held onto the precious touch until it had to cease.

Tadase slowly broke the kiss, and their faces were still only centimeters apart.

And then he saw it...

Amu smiled.

THE END

A/N: OH MAI WORD THE FLUFF! LOL

Thank you for reading! Until Next Time!

Anime17