Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara!
Chapter 7
Different
After Amu closed her bedroom door behind her, she leaned back against the door and slid down to the floor, smiling. It had been a wonderful night-the best night she could think of since the night her little sister said "big sister" for her first words. She looked at the bracelet on her left wrist, her gloves in her right hand.
That's when she realized that she had started to fall for him…and it scared her.
She was still against the idea of being forced to marry somebody, but she felt like she had gained some, if only a little, insight into his life-like she had truly seen him as more than just somebody she was being forced to marry.
However, she had never even had a crush on a boy, let alone found many of them attractive. She just had never really had an interest in boys since they all only seemed to want her hand for power or because of her looks. So the idea that she was actually falling for someone…it made her uneasy.
'What should I do? How should I act? Should I dress differently? Change my hairstyle?' She pulled her knees to her chest, hiding her face against her knees. The party had ended about ten minutes ago and she had hurried to her room shortly after saying good-bye to Ikuto. She sighed and stood, taking off her tiara and placing it on her desk. Just as she took her hair out of it's bun, she heard somebody knock…on her window?
Amu quickly turned to the window, ready to shout for some guards…but then she saw who was sitting on the tree branch by her window and her eyes widened. "Ikuto?!" She said, shocked, but not too loudly to where she would alert anybody who happened to be walking by her room. She hurried to her window and opened it. "What are you doing here?!"
Ikuto shrugged. "I've been climbing trees since I was little, this was easy, and there were no guards around." He chuckled. "What's the matter? Not happy to see me?"
Amu blushed lightly. "Just…! Ugh, get in here before somebody sees you!" She took a step back so he could get in her room.
Ikuto walked to the end of the thick branch and climbed through her window and into her bedroom. He looked around. "Very pink."
Amu frowned. "Not my choice, my mom wants me to have a "girly" room." She shook her head, getting back to the matter at hand. "What are you doing here?! This isn't appropriate…"
"I wanted to see you again." He stated simply, looking right at her, straight into her eyes.
Amu blinked, surprised. "Ikuto…why…?"
Ikuto shrugged, sitting on her window seat. "Not sure." He smirked. "Maybe I'm in love with you."
Amu blushed. "Don't joke about things like that."
Ikuto looked out the window. "There's guards down there now, guess I'll have to wait until they leave."
"Where does your family think you are?" Amu asked, changing the subject.
Ikuto looked back at her. "I told them I went on ahead to the palace. I'll just sneak in when I get back." He smirked again. "What? You didn't want to see me, too?"
Amu blushed again. "N-No! I was about to get ready for bed!" But she thought to herself, 'Maybe…a little.'
Ikuto chuckled, kicking back against the cushions on the window seat. "I won't stop you."
Amu narrowed her eyes at him. "Get out or I'll call the guards."
Ikuto frowned then. "But I really did want to see you again."
"Couldn't you wait until a more decent hour?" Amu snapped unintentionally.
Ikuto shook his head. "No, because I won't be able to see you for another week. With the war about to start, my father is having me attend meetings left and right."
Amu frowned. "Right…the war…" She had known from Rima's gossip that he might have to fight while his father ran their kingdom, but she had forgotten in the midst of preparing for her ball.
"Are you worried about me?" He asked calmly.
Amu looked at him, then at the ground. "…I don't like war. When that other war happened when I was small, some of the knights who had been very kind to me…well…I never saw them again."
Ikuto stood and walked to her, holding her left hand in his hand. "If I do go to war, I vow to return to you." He brought her hand to his lips, kissing the top of her hand.
Amu blushed, but didn't take her hand back. "Alright." Was all she could manage to say.
Ikuto smiled softly at her. "In a week, I'll come and visit you. I promise."
Amu looked away from him. 'I don't want this marriage, I don't want this marriage…' Her thoughts were interrupted when he spoke.
"I know you don't want this marriage, but I'm determined to show you that I can be a good husband for you." Ikuto said.
Amu looked back at him. "Why? We still barely know each other…!"
He cut her off. "I don't care. Listen, Amu, you're different. You speak your mind, you don't throw yourself all over me…" He thought back to the children they had met. "…and you're very kind. You're special."
Amu looked confused. "Special? How so?"
Ikuto smiled. "You have a pure heart. I can tell you put up a wall to keep me out, so I'm determined to knock it down." He let go of her hand and looked out her window. "The guards are gone. I'll go now." He opened the window.
"W-Wait!" Amu whispered, reaching for him.
Ikuto faced her, confused. "Yes?"
Amu looked at the ground, cheeks red. "…Have a safe journey home."
Ikuto smiled softly at her. "Thank you. Sweet dreams, Amu." And with that, he was gone.
Amu closed the window and continued to get ready for bed. Once in her nightgown, she blew out the candles in her room before getting into bed. It had been a long night, and all she wanted to do was sleep. However, she dreamed of dancing with Ikuto, and she couldn't tell if that made her happy or not.
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