Author's Note: Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Chapter 10: Sleep Over

My eyes were closed, but I lay wide-awake. I knew exactly where I was, and I also knew that I was not in my own tent. I knew exactly who was sleeping right next to me, and I knew it was not any of my Charas. I also knew I was blushing like mad. What I didn't know was what time it was. I couldn't hear anything, but his slow, even breathing. I concentrated on the arm around my shoulders, and the careful rise and fall of his chest. He suddenly turned; his hand brushed across my cheek. I opened my eyes. He exhaled softly. I felt myself blushed even redder. His eyes were deep purple.

"Did I wake you?" he asked. I shook my head,

"No. I've been awake for a while, you?" Ikuto chuckled.

"I just woke up," he looked at me with disbelieving eyes, "but I'm surprised you hadn't tried to sneak back to your tent." I blushed. The thought had crossed my mind but Ikuto had smelled so nice, and he was so warm.

"I... I was afraid of hurting your feelings." I answered, but in truth that excuse hadn't come to me until much later. My real reasons for staying had been much more selfish.

"Hungry?" he asked,

"What? No, I'm fine—" but my stomach chose that perfect moment to growl, causing me to blush tomato red, "Well maybe just a little." I admitted. He chuckled. I tried to lever myself up, but Ikuto grabbed my waist and pulled me back down.

"Ikuto, let me go."

"Make me," he teased. I glared at him, and he nuzzled me.

"You pervert." I muttered.

"Do you want breakfast or not?" he asked, my stomach answered for me. He gave me his mocking smile, but I had an idea. I pulled myself on top of him and batted my eyes. I pouted, hoping I looked cute,

"Ikuto-kun, will you please let me get breakfast?" He outright laughed and let me go. As I left he commented,

"I'll give you whatever you want Amu-chan, as long as you ask nicely." He gave me another one of his mocking smiles. I rolled my eyes and crawled onto the sand. The sun was just rising. The only one there was Utau. She was looking in my direction. Her eyes were wide and she was totally blushing.

"Err... Utau..." I was struggling for words. I was so glad Utau had gotten over her crush on her brother. (A/N ... O.o) Utau just shook her head and held up her hands.

"Shut up, it doesn't matter."

"But—"

"Doesn't matter." she insisted. I sighed; at least I wouldn't have to explain. Utau turned back to the signal fire she was trying to build. I waited for her to be done before I took my breakfast. I nibbled silently on my pineapple until Ikuto strode out of his tent. To my embarrassment, he strolled over to me, slung his arms around my shoulders, and kissed me.

"Ikuto!" I slid away. He laughed at me. I looked at Utau; she got up and walked away without saying anything.

"Ikuto, you don't have to be so mean to her." he stared innocently at me.

"What do you mean? I'm just kissing you." I glared at him.

"So, I'm guessing you don't want anyone to know." he said in a defeated tone. I blushed,

"No... it's just... I don't know..."

"You're worried about what everyone will think." he observed.

"A little."

"I won't say anything Amu-chan, but I can't promise for Utau." I sighed.

"I know, but its okay." I rested my head against his chest. He kissed my hair. Then, of course, my Charas chose that moment to arrive.

"Amu-chan! Where were you last night?" they looked at me; Miki and Dia seemed to be the only ones beginning to understand. Ikuto hugged me.

"Amu is in love with me, and I'm in love with her." My Charas didn't react with shocked expressions they smiled and giggled,

"Amu-chan, yay!" They hugged me too.

"Eh?" I was confused.

"Amu-chan, we support you no matter what!" they smiled hugely. I grinned. The four people I could always count on, my Charas. I handed them some pineapple to eat; they took it happily.

Breakfast had passed neither quickly nor easily. Utau had stayed quiet the entire time, refraining from even making eye contact with Ikuto or me. Tadase had been very annoying. He sat too close and kept offering me food or asking what I was planning to do today. I did my best to avoid his questions with general answers that actually didn't answer anything. Tadase was very persistent and it really annoyed me, but I think I did well with hiding my annoyance from him. Ikuto didn't do quite as good a job. I could tell he was trying his best not to punch Tadase.

At my first chance I got away from Tadase. It had felt like he was suffocating me. I walked along the sand. Then I over-heard Utau and Rima.

"...I even told Amu!"

"Rima, that was Tadase's fault, not Amu's."

"How could she steal all his attention like that, and smile too! She knows how I feel about him!"

"Rima, I'm trying to tell you,"

"No, Utau! She likes him, its obvious, it's been obvious!"

"Rima! Amu doesn't love him anymore!"

"As if,"

"She's in love with Ikuto!" Utau shouted. I heard Rima gasp.

"Oops, look I wasn't supposed to tell anyone, err, please don't talk Rima," I walked away. I didn't care if Rima agreed or not. Utau had slipped and it would be a matter of time until Yaya found out, and once Yaya knew everyone would know.

It wasn't like people knowing about Ikuto and I becoming an "item" would be a bad thing, but I didn't want to hurt Tadase's feelings no matter how annoying he was. Also, it might become awkward. I suppose there really wasn't any good reason for people not to know, but, then again, there weren't really any good reasons for them to know.

The moon was but a sliver in the sky. The stars shone so nicely and bright – clearer than back at home. I snuck out of my tent when I was sure my Charas were asleep. I crept towards Ikuto's tent, but someone's hand caught my wrist. The hand was too small and week to be Ikuto's. I turned to find Utau standing behind me.

"Amu, would you give me your company tonight?" I stared at her a long time, but finally nodded in agreement. Utau led me back to Rima and Yaya's tent.

"Eh?" there was a tiny pit of glowing embers in the center of the makeshift tent. Rima and Yaya sat beside it.

"Amu-chii!" Yaya whispered, or maybe shouted, delightedly.

"What's this about?" I wondered.

"Think of it like a sleepover." Utau said pushing me inside. I remembered how I'd only ever had one sleep over, and it had been with Nagehiko – well I had thought he had been a she named Nadeshiko... the truth had been a bit awkward.

"I can guess what this is about," I said – sweat drop expression. Yaya jumped into questions – she was always so straightforward,

"So have you kissed him?" Yaya just loved gossip. I sighed and decided, what the heck, might as well tell the truth.

"Yes." And then we were all talking about the boys. Utau was off on a rant on Kukai, while Yaya compared Kairi and Nagehiko, then she tried to pare Rima up with random people (both back from home and that we knew from back home). Soon my unease dissipated and the tent became filled with laughter and girlish shrieks.

Then Kukai popped his head in,

"Hey what are you doing?"

"Gossiping!" Yaya declared gleefully.

"Cool, can I join?" He sat next to Utau and hugged her waist.

"Whom are you gossiping about, babe?" Utau gave him a look while he kept a happy-go-lucky smile on his face.

"Ikuto and Amu!" Yaya burst out, "Oops, sorry Amu." I sighed, count on Yaya to blow a secret. Kukai started laughing hysterically,

"Seriously? Amu, you and Ikuto?" I flushed. He ruffled my hair, "It's cool, Amu, I'm just teasing." He grinned hugely again, "So have you kissed him yet."

"Is that really all you people care about? If I've kissed him?" We laughed. We laughed for a long time. Kukai and Utau left and eventually I did too so Yaya and Rima could get to sleep. In the darkness, I let my feet guide me randomly. I pulled back the fabric of the door and flopped onto what I thought was my makeshift bed. But then I heard a loud grunt.

"Ikuto-kun!" I exclaimed.

"Ug... yeah... I think, ow." he groaned.

"I'm so sorry! I err..." I could feel my face growing redder by the second.

"You what?"

"I thought this was my tent." my cheeks heated. Ikuto laughed at me. His arm snaked around my waist and pulled me closer. His chest rose up and down beneath me. My breath fell across his neck. I felt the vibration as he chuckled. He pulled my chin up so that our eyes met. His lips pressed against mine. I moaned his name; he sucked on my lower lip. He locked my head in place with one strong hand while the other made patterns on my bare back. My finger traced up and down his arm. His hand, which had been holding my head, moved slowly down my leg. He took hold of my knee and held it to his hip. I kissed him fervently – all the while blushing crazily. He pushed me away a tiny bit so he could breathe. His breath was uneven as was the rise and fall of his chest. I rolled off of him.

"By now everyone knows, if they hadn't before I bet they heard us and figured it out." Ikuto commented; my face burned.

"Oops, I forgot to tell anyone about that fresh water." the thought had only just occurred to me. (A/N wow nice job Amu)

"It could be our secret place." Ikuto suggested, but I shook my head.

"That would be selfish." I muttered. Ikuto pulled me back on top of him and kissed my neck. The tip of his nose traced along my collarbone. Then he whispered into the base of my neck,

"I'm perfectly comfortable being selfish."

"Ikuto, I— " but Ikuto forced his lips back to mine and that thoroughly shut me up.

"I'm teasing you, Amu."

Author's Note: HOLY FREAKING GOD!!!!!!!! The Amuto in this is awesome, but this was a very very very long chapter. And I really really really hope you liked it. GAH! I like wrote it when I was on a sleep over, so I started it sometime around like eight when everyone started playing guitar hero and worked on it til 5 am then I slept for three hours and woke up and finished it. It was really really hard because I had no plan for this chapter what so ever. Soooo, like yeah. T_T jerk Tadase. Awesome Ikuto, cool and spicy Amu. XD Please tell me what you think.