Chapter 2

After Ikuto's leg was dried and bandaged he went to Amu's room. She changed into dry pajamas in the bathroom. As she pulled on purple drawstring shorts and a white camisole she wondered…mostly about Ikuto. How long would he have to stay? How long would he stay? Should she keep him a secret again? What would her parents do if they found out? Amu knew that he was very weak, and being hunted everywhere he went. But her parents couldn't know about Easter. She'd have to tell them about her charas, and the Gaurdians, not to mention the Embryo or Humpty lock and Dumpty key. She decided that these decisions could be made in the morning, and right now she needed sleep.

She clicked off the bathroom light and made her way down the hall. She quietly opened her bedroom door and slipped inside. Ikuto was laying on her bed, staring at the ceiling. His violin case and boots leaned against the closet. The leg of his pants was still rolled up, showing several layers of white gauze. The lamp on the shelf was the only source of light, and it cast an eerie half glow on the room. As she crossed the room she noticed Yoru's egg sitting quietly along with her four others. She lay down next to Ikuto. He turned his head. She watched him watching her. They studied each other's eyes (the deep blue of his, the honey gold of hers) each other's hair (navy and rose). They smelled what they had wanted to for so long. Ikuto smelled strawberries and cinnamon. Amu smelled rain, and chocolate. They leaned together until their foreheads touched. Amu closed her eyes, thinking he would do the same. Thinking he wanted to sleep.

"My strawberry," she heard him whisper.

And then he kissed her.

She was startled at first, and her eyes shot open. She saw his looking back at her, expecting that reaction. He was smiling amusedly. He stroked her cheek and leaned in to kiss her again. She closed her eyes and let him. He rolled over on top of her. Very gently so as not to put any of his weight on her, or his injured leg. He kissed her again and she kissed him back. She reached up to feel his hair, and found that even though Yoru was asleep two velvety cat ears were poking out of his head.

He was purring now.

And then Amu thought, Why am I doing this? I want to but...why? I'm in the seventh grade. Is that too young? Is he too old? What would Utau do? What would Tadase think?

But ultimately she decided that it was alright, there was no harm in a kiss.

And then Ikuto thought, Why am I doing this? I want to but...why? She's in the seventh grade. She's too young. I'm too old for her. What will she think? Will she run to her kiddy guardians telling them that I...

He made a sound like he had just choked on something.

"I…Oh my…I…"

He moved away to sit on the edge of the bed. He laced his fingers together and rested his forehead on his hands.

"Oh my god." he whispered.

"Amu, I…"

She just looked at him.

"Oh my god." he said again.

"Amu, I…I don't know what I was doing. I…that was…What the hell was I thinking? I…I got…carried away. I didn't mean it. I…I…What the hell did I think I was doing!"

He kicked a beanbag chair across the room in frustration. He took his hands away from his face and looked up.

"Amu,"

He watched her watching him. He studied her eyes, her hair. She looked confused, yet worried. Her arm was still outsretched where it had been in his hair. Her skin was flawless, like porcelain. Her big shiny eyes looked at him through that unkempt curtain of pink hair that always fell perfectly without her trying. And he again saw that fragile child. Child. Who was he to protect her if he was hurting her? Ikuto stood. He turned to leave, but paused at the balcony door. He was nothing good for her. All he did was cause problems that could be avoided. Easter wouldn't catch him if he stayed on the move. The "Kiddy King" could protect her. He didn't care.

In his heart Ikuto knew that none of these things were true.

"I'm sorry…For everything."

Before he could pull open the door and cast himself into the rain and clutches of Easter, two arms wrapped around him from behind. He felt her nose brushing his back as she rapidly shook her head.

"Please stay."

For a moment Ikuto just looked out the door, onto the city. Then he felt it. That joy that was only present when he was with her. He spun around and picked up Amu. He twirled her in circles. She laughed. And this time he did too. They collapsed onto the bed, and for the next two hours they lay under the covers in the dark, hand in hand, talking about anything and everything. School, family, friends, or just random things that came to their heads. They talked and talked until they fell asleep. And you should know that not once did they speak of anything related to Easter, or the Embryo. Those things of confusion weren't present that night. No, the only thing that was present was that thing that Ikuto had only briefly experienced before, that thing that either of them had only experienced in the sense of family, That delicate yet explosive joy called love.