I DO NOT OWN SHUGO CHARA…..
YAY! ^_^ all caps is fun
sorry, feeling kinda random…

Chap 17

It was very late in the day when Ikuto, Amu, and her Shugo Chara took off. It was a silent walk, but not unpleasant, at least not for Ikuto. He was just happy to be with Amu, no matter how quiet she was. He smiled.

Amu saw it, "What?" she asked, kneeling down and rolling out the blanket that she had brought.

"Nothing."

"Uh-huh. Sure." Amu replied, rising from her position and darting behind a rock to change out of her street clothes and into her swimming suit. After depositing her jeans and tank top at the site and not seeing Ikuto around, she climbed to the top of the rock and gazed down at the water. Suddenly, she felt hands wrap around her exposed midsection from behind her and felt the rush of air as whoever it was jumped off the rock, not letting go of her. She on to the neck of her attacker for dear life, "W-what's going—" before she could finish, they had hit the water.

She sputtered when she surfaced.

"Who's there!" she demanded looking frantically around. No one. Then, the same arms encircle themselves around her and pull her down beneath the surface again. The girl struggled, but those arms held true. They didn't budge with all of her thrashing. The ribbon that had been holding back her magenta hair had either fallen out or was taken out so now her hair floated around her. Amu looked around in the water, but couldn't see anything in the usually clear ocean. There was a flash of white as the arms tightened and brought her to the surface. Amu whirled in the water to see her attacker the droplets from her hair showered everything. Again, not a single soul. The arms seemed to move up to her shoulders deliberately. She knew who it was.

"You're tiny." That all too familiar voice murmured in her ear as she was pulled into a solid, wet chest. She blushed when she could feel the hard lines of his muscles.

"I-Ikuto!" she cried out, not being able to turn around.

"You're wet." He stated.

"I-I know." She stammered And you're not wearing a shirt. She thought.

Ikuto chuckled and released his tiny captive, "I bet I can beat you to shore." He challenged.

Amu's eyes lit up with the excitement of a contest they sparkled with determination, "You're on!" in a split second, she took off. Ikuto was right behind her, but he spared a quick glance behind them before forging ahead of her. He made it to shore first. Amu was barely seconds behind him, only then did she realize how dark it really was outside, but she was on the verge of collapsing. She lay sprawled out, half in the water and half on the sand, gasping for air. Without missing a beat, Ikuto strode into the water and swung her up in his arms, carrying her to the fire pit. He set her down and gently wrapped his blue towel around her shivering shoulders and then knelt behind her to rub her arms up and down restoring her blood flow. When her breathing and shuddering slowed, Ikuto kissed the back of her neck, "There, now that you're warmed up, I'm claiming my prize." He murmured and turned her face towards him. His eyes were serious, "Kiss me."

Amu nearly choked.

Ikuto chuckled, "Just kidding." He settled for a forehead kiss, "Now I feel like a winner."

Amu was still shocked from the incident, "H-how's that?" she stammered.

"I was kissed by a cute girl." He stated charmingly, squeezing her shoulders gently. It made Amu shiver in a good way.

"T-technically, you kissed a cute girl. You weren't kissed by her."

He pulled her into his chest and murmured, "Details, details." He cupped her cheek "What matters is that I kissed you."

"O-only my forehead." Amu insisted.

"Oh? Would you like me to kiss you somewhere else?" he rested his long fingers on her lips, "Like here?" brought the same finger to her cheek, "Or here?" and finally dragged it down the length of her neck, "Here would also be a good place."

Amu was bright red. Her skin tingled where he had touched her.

Ikuto laughed and brought his finger back to her lips. His dark blue eyes peered deeply into her amber. He lightly traced the outline of her lips; the temptation was almost too strong. He opted for one of his charming smiles, "I really could do more to you, but I will resist."

She visibly untensed. Ikuto used it to his advantage and brought her close to him, "But, I can't say I'll resist for long." He released her before he did something. His claim was more truthful than he let on. This girl really tests my limits. I have a difficult time controlling myself now. He thought.

Amu's chara were silent.

Then Su floated up to Ikuto and scrutinized him as he built the fire for the night, trying to hide the trembling in his hands from his near-slip of control.

Ikuto was amused, "Yes?" he answered.

"Ikuto-san is going to marry Amu-chan isn't he? So he can hug and kiss her all he wants right-desu?"

Amu burned and hurried behind the rock to change.

Ikuto smiled at her reaction, "Shh….don't tell anyone."

Suu was ecstatic, "Roger-desu!" and floated away.

Ikuto chuckled and threw one last log on the fire and looked back over the ocean. His sharp eyes caught what he had been expecting to see. The unmistakable dorsal fins of group of sharks, exactly where Amu had been swimming stood out in the night. He wiped his forehead. "It's a good thing I got her out of there so quickly. I was afraid of them." He returned his gaze back to the cluster of man-eating fish. Dia wasn't too far away.

Amu was attempting to compose herself behind the boulder.

"Marriage? No way! Ikuto enjoys making me feel uncomfortable, that's all." She murmured, leaning against the granite as she closed her eyes.

"Is that so?" a voice said from her right. Amu's eyes flew open to see Ikuto leaning over her. She gasped, "I-Ikuto!"

A ghost of a smile crossed his lips as he leaned against the rock at her side. Amu watched him carefully.

"Why so suspicious?" he asked, opening one eye, "I'm not going to do anything." He straightened and pulled her against his chest, whispering, "At least not yet."

Amu's little heart raced as he brought her as close as he possibly could. She felt his arm tighten around her waist, and his hand on her back as each of his fingers seemed to apply pressure to her skin.

"Just relax Amu." Ikuto murmured in a somewhat serious tone, "I only want to hold you right now."

Amu could hear his smile when he said, "Is that so wrong?"

She shook her head and suppressed a shiver. Whether it was from the cool breeze or the delight of having Ikuto hold her, she didn't know.

His voice said gently into her ear, "Let's get you to the fire."

He led her to the warmest spot.

Amu sat down with her back against the cliff face (for the fire itself was built in a semi-overhang) and looked up at the stars. She let out a delighted sigh as her amber eyes sparkled, "The stars are so pretty tonight!" again, she shivered. Drat. Her body wasn't going to let her enjoy it.

With a smile and an invisible shake of his head, Ikuto got up and dropped a rather large blanket around her shoulders then sat back down, "Here." He simply said and arranged it more comfortably before putting his own arm around her.

Amu was quiet.

Ikuto quite suddenly felt a heavy warmth over his legs. He looked down at Amu's bowed pink head.

"I-I just don't want you to catch a cold." Was her quiet explanation.

His heart swelled, he bent and put his lips on her ear as he whispered, "Thank you Amu." He thought for a moment that the temperature on her ear increased. He held back a chuckle.

Seconds later, there was a small bump on his shoulder. Ikuto looked down to see that the girl beside him had fallen asleep on his shoulder of all places. A tender smile (one that Amu would see many times in the years to come ;) ) crossed his face as he pulled her gently into his side, dropping a soft kiss on her head, "Good night, Amu." He murmured before he too fell asleep.