"M...monsters..." she muttered to herself. She sat alone, shaking back and forth in her room. Her gold eyes had once shone with the bright innocence of a frolicking child, the golden hue of pure joy and content. Her hair was a bright chestnut color before and just as full of life as she had been, once more, a thing of the past. It had been ten years. Ten years and all she did was remember the past. Her short bouncy hair now dropped down her shoulders, thin and limp. Her eyes were like that of a startled rabbit, wide and frightened looking, darting every which way at random intervals. She was only like this at night, the dark of the night that frightened her the most. The creaks and groans of the house seemed as if the creatures of the dark called out to her, whispering her name and chilling her to the very bone. She shook, her hands trembling, her breaths quick and short.

She quickly retreated from the beds' edge and curled up under her covers, letting her head fall upon the pillow but never closing her eyes. The lights flickered around her, as she had insisted hundreds of candles be lit every night for her in her room. A creak sounded above her, sending her upright in her bed and she sat still, staring straight off with a vacant expression.

"Monsters."

"MONSTERS?" Amu cried. "What do you mean monsters in your closet?"

Ami pulled her sisters hand. "They're there. I know they are." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "They followed me."

"Oh, don't be ridiculous," Amu replied rolling her eyes. "It's probably just the pipes or something. This school is pretty old you know."

"I know they're here," she said stubbornly. Amu knew it only too well that stubbornness was something passed down in the family. She had it herself anyway. "I know."

Amu sighed and followed her to the guest hall where their parents stayed for their visit. Ami had wanted to sleep with Amu but she firmly refused, knowing Ikuto could pop up any moment and make an awkward situation for her and Ami would question and she would have to come up with a clever answer then Ikuto would say something and just further complicate it...you see, it was quite difficult for Ikuto to shut up when he knew he had the advantage. And good Lord, did he use it.

Ami slept in the room next her parents, smaller and more comfortable. Her suitcase was open but she hadn't unpacked anything yet and she pulled Amu straight to the closet, pushing her forward and standing behind her. he pinkette rolled her eyes and opened the closet where it was lain bare save for a few iron hangers on the wooden bar at the top. She switched on the light bulb with a pull of a string and peered inside the small closet. Ami had always had her check for monsters when she was home so Amu was used to it but after being gone for so long one would think she stopped playing such childish games.

"See?" Amu stepped back. "Nothing there."

"They're hiding," Ami insisted.

"I'll even look under your bed!" she pulled the light string down with a click and shut the closet, moving to her bed and kneeling down slowly. Amu glanced around the darkness but saw nothing. "Well, still nothing. Are you satisfied?"

Ami looked around then looked back at her sister. "Are you sure?"

"There's absolutely nothing there," she reassured her with a smile. "You'll be alright, Ami."

Ami chewed her lip still glancing around the room with doubt. "Yeah...I guess."

"Promise me you'll wake up mom or dad first if you get scared again, okay?" Amu put a hand on her shoulder. "Their room is closer and it can get scary here at night, so go to them first. Promise?"

"I promise."

"Good," Amu smiled and kissed her forehead. "Sleep tight, I love you."

"I love you too," Ami smiled back.

When Amu got down the hallway, she glanced back at the crack of light still on in Ami's room and sighed to herself. Ami had a bit of an overactive imagination and no matter when or where, she was convinced monsters followed her and always has someone check for her. It was usually Amu and probably her parents once she left. Ami probably was like this because once they found a small family of mice under her bed once and their constant squeaks probably made Ami slightly paranoid.

She passed a dark window and paused a moment to look outside. The moon already shone on the white icy land outside giving it a magical glow. The frozen pond remained still and smooth, seemingly untouched by anyone other than her. The bare trees had dark spindly branches shivering slightly in the wind, almost as if they could feel the cold. Frost climbed up the windows, spreading it's frozen crystals across the glass. Amu laid a hand against the icy window feeling the chill on her palm as shivering inwardly. The cold didn't penetrate the warm inside of the building but was just close enough to feel it.

"Ah, such a beautiful sight," he purred. "To see a maiden in the moonlight."

She jumped at his voice, spinning around. "I-Ikuto!"

He stood against the wall behind her and chuckled, pulling down the good covering his face. "Miss me?"

"B-b-baka! Who said I'd miss you?" Amu had pointedly avoided him the last few days after her strange actions earlier. It wasn't easy - he was a vampire after all - but she had done it.

"Amu," he stood and went closer, stopping just an arms breadth away from her. "Why are you avoiding me?"

"I-I'm not avoiding you," she lied. "I've just been a bit preoccupied these days." A forced ha-ha. "You must just be imagining things."

"I see," he leaned closer. "Then I'll just do this..."

Amu leaned back a bit, scrunching her face up and closing her eyes. She could feel his cold breath on her cheek, his face near to hers. Then he pulled back with a sigh. Amu opened her eyes and un-scrunched her face.

"What?"

"You have been avoiding me," Ikuto said.

"What? No, I said I - "

"Don't lie to me."

"I'm not lying - "

"If you don't want me to be around anymore just say it," he spat coldly.

Amu blinked. His azure eyes suddenly became cold and hard as he continued to stare at her. His expression hardened into a cold mask and seemed to grow colder at her continued silence. Amu didn't know what to say. She had been avoiding him but only because...because...she...she didn't know how to face him after that night. She bit her bottom lip unsure of what to respond. She wanted him yes, but another part of her told her to hold back a little.

"I see," his voice made her flinch. "If that's how it is - "

"It's not!" she blurted. Realizing this, she cast her eyes downward and fiddled with her fingers nervously. Mumbling she added," I just, um, I kinda was but um, I didn't...I don't...I can't...I don't understand."

"Don't understand what?"

"This!" Amu said hotly. "I don't understand relationships, okay? You're like, hundreds of years old and you've probably had way more experience than me, but I don't know how to handle this kind of relationship. I just, this whole people and socializing and kissing...this is all too new to me, okay?"

The ice around his face slowly melted. He stated at her for another moment then laughed. Amu only blushed deeper, tightening her hands into fists. He continued laughing at her expression then.

"N-never mind!" she muttered turning away from him so he wouldn't laugh at her face. "Forget I said anything!"

"So you're telling me, that you haven't talked to me at all these past few days because you think it's weird?"

"No..." she murmured. "Um, I just don't...know how to...deal with it."

"Deal with what?" Ikuto turned her around. "You think I'll act differently if...well, what?"

Amu fidgeted. "I don't know."

"Ahh, Amu I missed your being in my presence and our constant bickering," Ikuto pulled her into a hug. "Don't do that again. I was worried - just tell me if you're uncomfortable or if you don't know what to do next time, okay? Jeez."

"Okay..." she mumbled into his chest.

"You're such an idiot sometimes."

"Right back at ya."

"I'll miss you princess," her dad hugged we tightly. "You should come back home."

"Papa~" she smiled knowingly and hugged him back." You know I have to finish studying."

"But Papa and Mama miss you!"

"Ami does too, dear." Her mom added with a wink.

"Mama, Papa, Ami," Amu smiled again and let go. "I love all of you and will come home when I'm done studying okay?"

"Okay," the three piled into the car saddened at their departure. Her mom leaned out the window. "Careful, Amu dear."

"Eh? Mama, I'll be fine." Amu smiled. "Drive safely."

"We love you, Amu," they called as they drove off.

When they were out of sight, a pair of arms enveloped her. "Oh man, I thought they'd never leave."

"Ikuto!" she elbowed him.

"Oof," he spun her around to face him. "I'll let that slide because you're pretty."

"Thanks?" she said questionably.

He smirked. "You'll just pay for it later."

"E-eh?" he picked her up in his arms and confined back to the dorms.

"I'm going to make sweet love to you~" he sang loudly. "And you'll hold onto me and we'll become one together~"

"I-I-Ik-Ikutooooo!" she became scarlet red in embarrassment. "Stop it! Stop it before any hears you! I-it's embarrassing!"

"Eh?" he acted as if he couldn't hear her. "You want me to sing it louder? Alrighty!"

"N-"

"I WANNA MAKE SWEET LOVE TO AM - "

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO."

[A/N] Gomen, gomen. I've been preoccupied of the late and a bit uninspired because of my stressful school year. It's only February and four months left to go until summe hope I can make it. I'm sorry guys! I know this chapter was so empty and lifeless and maybe even slightly pointless but I definitely needed to give you something! Thank you all for still supporting my silly story T w T

Word count: 1,818 words

Disclaimer: I don't own Shugo Chara. Just Ikuto. (I wish.)

~lonelybutlovely