(While writing this chapter I had 'Dance With Me Tonight' by Olly Murs on repeat. Go forth and listen!)
Mailroom Palaver
Finale
"And you just…ran away?"
Rima watched Amu scramble about her kitchen in a frenzy. She appeared to be completely buzzed on coffee. Rima wouldn't be surprised if Amu admitted to not sleeping at all the night before.
The pinkette looked up from the plate she was washing. Grimacing, she replied, "I didn't know what else to do!"
Rima shrugged. She slowly resumed stirring her coffee, glancing up to watch her friend with a cautious gaze. "At least he didn't go into great detail about all the things he loves about you. That would have been awkward to try and get out of," she offered.
It did little to calm her nerves, but Amu gave a meek, silent nod in response.
Realizing Amu was too traumatized to carry on a conversation, Rima spoke again, sending her a sly smile.
"So…how do you plan to tell him how you feel?"
This seemed to awaken Amu from her trance, as she nearly let the plate topple out of her hands. Drying the dish quickly, she shot the blond a shifty-eyed look.
"Wh-what are you talking about?"
Rima stared at her, dead-panned, "Don't even try to pretend you don't like him back."
Even if she was considering lying to her best friend, the deep blush on her face called her bluff. Shutting off the water, Amu slowly dried off her hands and sighed, dragging her feet over to the table where Rima sat.
"…I- it just seems too good to be true," she confessed.
"Amu, no decent guy would lie about their feelings," Rima commented, "especially if they were as sincere as Ikuto was. And…he is a decent guy, right?"
Amu nodded silently.
"Then there you go," Rima decided. "I'm sure he was telling the truth. If anything, he's probably now feeling like a rejected bump on a log." She calmly resumed sipping at her coffee, exhaling in content as the mixture of flavors warmed her throat.
She didn't seem to notice Amu's face drop with dread.
"Wh-what do you mean by that?" The pinkette asked quickly. "I didn't reject him!"
Trying not to seem too unimpressed, Rima rolled her eyes over to her friend. "If the person I confessed to fled from the room as quick as possible, I'm sure I'd feel just a tiny bit of rejection, too."
Amu's eyes wandered downcast, staring at Rima's coffee mug. She had only escaped the situation because she had been too flustered to get her thoughts straight. And last night, after many cups of disgusting coffee and no sleep, she was finally able to put her thoughts in order. It was true, she really did like Ikuto. She had a feeling that she had liked him for a while now, just never felt the need to tell him. And if he was telling the truth when he told her that he liked her, then there really shouldn't have been any problem with her coming clean about her feelings also.
Finally finding her voice, she muttered, "What do you think I should do?"
"Talk to him, for starters," Rima replied boredly.
Letting out a loud groan, Amu dropped her head against the table. "I'm so embarrassed," she mumbled against the tabletop.
"You should be."
"Rima, you're supposed to tell me that it's nothing to be embarrassed about!"
"I cannot tell a lie."
Scoffing, Amu glared at her friend. Half the time she wondered where she'd be without Rima and the other half she wondered if she was better at giving herself advice. Either way, it was nice to have the support available whenever she needed it.
Rima stole a glance at the time before she stood up. She had to get to the store before it closed, no matter if Amu was going through a crisis or not. "Isn't it his birthday today?" the blond asked, hoping to help at least a little bit before taking her leave.
Amu followed her out the door, both of them stepping into the elevator.
"Yeah…"
"Then go up to his apartment and wish him a happy birthday," the blond suggested.
If Amu was going to be completely honest, she'd say that she'd rather crawl into a hole and rot. She still hadn't managed to get over the fact that she had basically rejected Ikuto straight to his face. What made matters worse was the fact that it wasn't even the truth.
As the duo stepped out of the elevator, out of habit Amu glanced towards the mail room, nearly jumping out of her skin at the sight of Ikuto just stepping up to his mailbox. His violin case was slung over his shoulder, his back to them.
Amu almost thought she'd be able to slip by unnoticed until the elevator rang out its traditional 'ding!'
Ikuto glanced up and over his shoulder. Once they made eye-contact, Amu was about ready to sink into the floor from humiliation. He seemed as normal as usual and even nodded at her as a greeting before turning back to his mail.
The two females quickly scampered by, stepping outside the front doors.
"That was him?" Rima guessed with a quirked eyebrow and a sneaky smile. She watched Amu carefully as the pinkette suddenly went quiet and stared down at the ground. "He is not ugly," Rima commented with a low, impressed whistle. She shifted to peer back into the glass doors to catch another look of the unsuspecting boy.
Amu's head snapped up with a frown on her lips, "I never said he was!"
"But you also never said how good looking he was," the blond pointed out with a slight annoyed edge to her voice. "I would have come over more often."
Amu shot Rima an unimpressed look. Good to know she wasn't the only one who found Ikuto unbelievably handsome.
Rima gave her a one-armed, reassuring hug. "Don't worry, I won't take him away from you. That hottie is all yours. So," she drifted off while walking away, "go get him before it's too late."
Blushing at the wink she received, Amu meekly waved as Rima disappeared down to the parking lot to fetch her car. She inhaled the cold December air deeply, letting it fill her nostrils and lungs with icy tingles. She was making this harder than it had to be, she told herself while stepping back inside. She just had to walk up to him and come out with it.
Ikuto was no longer at his mailbox.
Heart dropping, Amu stomped into the elevator, knowing she'd now have to go up to his apartment to talk to him. No matter what, she had to clear things up between them. Regardless that her heart felt like it would fly out her arse at any moment now.
She mentally prepared herself for her confrontation with Ikuto as the elevator doors opened to reveal her floor. First, she would grab some water, maybe some Tylenol, then she'd venture up to see him.
Before the doors could close on her, Amu quickly stepped out of the elevator and into the hallway. Her feet refused to take her any further upon spotting who was waiting for her at her door.
Perhaps if she was lucky she could jump out the window to her left and somersault along the asphalt until she reached her parents house at the other end of the city. He'd never find her that way. Therefore, she wouldn't have to tell him how she felt.
The sight of him made Amu's heart rate naturally increase as she stood, unmoving in the hallway.
He was leaning his back against the wall beside her door with his hands in his pockets, his blue hair falling in front of his face.
Amu commanded herself to pull it together and stepped onwards.
He looked up when she was a few feet away.
His deep, sapphire orbs met hers with ease and she had to remind herself to keep breathing and stay calm.
Offering a bashful smile, Amu slowed to a stop in front of him. "I was just going to go up and wish you a happy birthday," she commented, surprised at his appearance.
To be completely honest, it felt so bizarre seeing him there. However, she was in no way complaining. The sight was definitely something she wouldn't mind getting used to.
Ikuto pushed away from the wall, his hands still comfortably pocketed as he turned his body to face her. He glanced down as he removed one hand. "Well, I had to come thank you for your gift," he told her.
He waved his brand new letter-opener in the air. The one that was his very own.
Amu blushed upon seeing it and confessed, "That was the parcel that took forever to come."
Surprise briefly crossed his features as he turned his gaze towards it. "Why did you have to order it?" he asked. "Can't you get these anywhere?"
"W-well, yeah," Amu admitted, sheepishly. "But that one is identical to mine and believe it or not, it's apparently impossible to find those ones for sale around here."
Ikuto was silent as he watched, amused at her rambling.
Finally, once she had finished spewing any and every word that came to mind, he clarified with a mischievous smirk, "So you got us matching letter-openers?"
His sly tone of voice brought a deeper shade of red across Amu's cheeks. She looked away quickly and folded her arms firmly across her chest.
"Only because you're constantly borrowing mine!" she huffed.
Ikuto feigned a look of hurt, one that was unbelievably adorable and reminded Amu of Yoru whenever he was denied food.
"And here I thought you purposely let me swipe yours all those times," Ikuto sighed.
Amu ignored his teasing and prepared herself for what she'd say next. It was quickly established that she wouldn't be able to get her words out without stumbling over nearly every single one.
"Honestly, I hoped it-it would re-remind you of how we m-met…" her voice grew quiet with every word.
She hoped Ikuto had still managed to understand her because there was no way she could summon the courage to say it again. She dared to sneak a look through her bangs at him. His gaze had softened, his eyes watching her intently. The adorable crease had appeared between his brows.
"I thought…" he drifted off, both of them knowing what he thought. If she had been walked out on after confessing, she would think she had just been rejected, too.
Amu chewed on her lower lip, eyes downcast, and shook her head. "N-no…I was just scared, I guess. I thought it was too good to be true," she admitted sheepishly. She glanced up and found the crease between his brows was still there.
"Have you ever realized," she began while stepping closer, "that you get an adorable crease right here when you over think?" She lifted a hand towards Ikuto's forehead, gently bringing her thumb down to his skin. She tenderly rubbed her thumb against the crease to brush it away.
Ikuto's eyelashes fluttered at the soft contact.
Once his face had relaxed, Amu smiled softly and brushed her fingers against his forehead, moving down to trace his strong jaw line. Letting her hand rest on the side of his face, Amu pushed her fingers through his hair, quietly admiring how handsome he was.
Staring at him now, she was torn between her horrible shyness that urged her to pull away and the inability to resist him any longer. She tugged gently on a few strands of his naturally straight hair. She could feel his eyes on her and didn't dare meet his gaze.
Just as Amu started to pull her hand back, Ikuto reached up and clutched onto it, holding it to his chest as he leaned forward and pressed his forehead against hers.
Amu's breathing was quick and shallow.
Ikuto leaned down and placed a fluttering kiss across her lips.
Her heart leaped and her stomach flipped, her insides turned to mush and an electric shock sprang from her fingertips and she nearly didn't realize she was strangling Ikuto's shirt in her palm.
She had never felt anything like it. It felt right to be with him, something she never could have said about previous boys.
He slowly drew away from her, Amu still in a daze as she searched his eyes with a pink blush slowly dusting her cheeks.
"…Ha-happy birthday…" she breathed.
They shared a small laugh and the pinkette turned her attention bashfully to the ground.
The distant ringing of a nearby telephone reminded her of what she needed to speak to Ikuto about. Her attention instantly shot up to him with determination and suspicion lacing her vision.
"That reminds me…Tadase hasn't called me at all," she began slowly, watching Ikuto's lips turn upwards in amusement. His eyes danced, knowing something she didn't.
"What did you say to him? Please tell me! I swear I'm going to grow an ulcer if you don't tell me, 'cause I'm freaking out!" Amu pleaded, squeezing both of his hands in hers.
"You really want to know?" His lips pursed and his eyebrow arched, lifting their interlocked hands and resting his chin on them.
Amu slowly narrowed her eyes, stepping up to the challenge, "Yes."
A part of her had the suspicion that he had told Tadase about how she had gotten a new boyfriend. That would be something she could work with, she decided. It was a good enough reason to no longer want any connections to her ex.
Ikuto slowly lowered down so his lips brushed Amu's earlobe, making her skin tingle.
"I told him that you're a lesbian."
It took a moment to register.
Then, all at once, Amu's heart seemed to stop beating and plummeted to her stomach, her shoulders dropping and her eyes widening as her jaw unhinged and fell to the floor in disbelief.
Ikuto stepped away and had to muffle his laughter with his hand.
"You told him what!?" The pinkette exclaimed, hitting him over the head.
She threw insults his direction while flailing her arms in the air, her face growing red in embarrassment. Of all the things he could have said to Tadase, it had to be that!? Surely Ikuto was more creative. Then again, he always did enjoy tormenting her.
Finally, Amu scowled, her rant diminishing slightly as she glared at Ikuto.
He pushed his hand through her pink hair to purposely mess it up. He pursed his lips to hide a smile and slipped a key out of his pocket to unlock the door to her apartment while she went off again on an insulting rampage while flattening her hair.
Amu stopped mid-insult, her hands frozen on the top of her head. She looked from her opened door to Ikuto. Her golden eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"…Do you still have my spare key?"
He simply slipped the key back into his pocket and gave her a mischievous wink before flicking her nose with his finger, "You won't be needing it anytime soon," he promised before heading off towards the elevator.
Amu spun around, one hand rubbing her nose. She watched his tall, retreating figure with a slow smile spreading across her blushing face.
She didn't know when it happened. But somewhere along the way, he had slipped into her life and taken up a place in her heart whether she wanted him to or not. And, if she was being completely honest with herself, she didn't want him to leave that place anytime soon. Something told her that he didn't have plans to leave, either.
Smiling down at her shoes, Amu bit her lip to hold back an embarrassingly wide grin.
It was hard to believe this had all begun with a letter-opener and a bit of mail room palaver.
The End
Author's note: Thank you for sticking with me! This was a fun little story to write! It's amazing how such a simple plot can actually go places. But it's definitely the characters that help stories go where you never imagined they would. I hope you enjoyed and I do so hope that I didn't leave any questions left unanswered. As for Tadase, I'm sure if Amu desperately wanted to prove to him that she wasn't a lesbian, she'd just have to call over Ikuto and have a good smooch right in front of him. Ehehe. Take care!