Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara! or "Those Nights" by Skillet.
Title:
Those Nights
Summary:
She never knew just how much those nights meant to him.
Rating:
K+
Main Character/Pairing:
Ikuto, Ikuto/Amu
Genre:
Angst/Romance
Warnings:
Suicidal thoughts, added scene to original story.
Inspiration:
"Those Nights" by Skillet.
---------------
Lying in his bed, Ikuto stared up at the ceiling, thinking. Amu had told him not to stop by that night—she was having a sleepover with her Guardian friends—unless it was a life-or-death situation. He smiled to himself—she knew him too well. If she hadn't specifically promised to be home the next few nights for him to bother, he wouldn't have listened to her warning.
She had no idea how much those nights meant to him. Every time he'd gone there had been a life-or-death situation to him. Not only when he was sick, but also when he hadn't known what else to do. Popping in on Amu had given him a small sliver of light in an otherwise dark and unforgiving life. She gave him a reason to stay alive, to continue on even when he couldn't see the end of his time with Easter.
His smile grew as he thought of the times they had fought in her bed; she hadn't wanted him spending the night, least of all in her bed. Somehow, he knew that she hadn't really meant to be so mean. She was just a little girl, much too young for him.
But then they'd become closer—building their friendship—when she'd come running up her stairs, crying, and he'd been lying in her bed, just waiting for a chance to pick on her while she tried to kick him out. Instead, she'd thrown herself at him, tackling him in a tight hug, and cried into his chest for a little while, as he just sat there, stunned into silence.
Then she'd told him in her sobs about what some of the girls had said about her at her school. They'd been saying that she was a skank since she had allegedly juggled Tadase, Kuukai, and "some high school guy". And at the suggestion of her being with a high school guy, Tadase had gotten angry, telling her that she shouldn't spend time with a black cat, refusing to speak to her when she didn't immediately agree.
After that night, their talks had been more than just him teasing her and her yelling at him. Now, they talked about their lives—well, she talked about her life; he threw in a few tidbits, though—and what they wanted to become. Amu wasn't sure, of course, but she was thinking of doing something that involved travelling; she wanted to see the world. And when he'd told her that he really only wanted to be a free violinist without a care, she'd said that it suited him.
Hearing that from her had saved his life.
Despite being able to talk to her, it had still been hard to control the need to be free. He couldn't stand being locked to Easter another moment. Everyone around him talked about what they would do after graduation, making plans for colleges and classes they wanted to take. He didn't know when he would be free of his step-father's company, so he couldn't make those kinds of plans. And there was only one way that he could be free of it without having to worry about being pulled into it once more.
Death.
But everything in his world shifted when he hadn't showed up to Amu's after a few weeks of going there every night. Not spending the night every time, but at least spending a little time with her.
And she had looked for him the next day, walking up to him nervously when she found him in the park. With her lower lip trembling as if she were going to cry, she asked, "Why didn't you come over last night?" And she'd stood there like a little kid, twisting her hands in front of her.
And right then, he'd unconsciously decided to never leave her alone. Until she didn't want him anymore, he would continue going to her house, spending time with her. She would be his reason for living.
He never once regretted those nights.
