* This story was inspired by previous works that I've read in the past. Key authors being Holly Black and Melissa Marr. I take no credit for their work. Furthermore, I don't carry the rights for this anime. Some of the characters will act OOC; all of these characters are of age. Constructive criticism is very welcome. Enjoy.

Chapter 3: Amu's POV

Amu grabbed her book off of her nightstand, shoving her purple reading light into her back pocket. She glanced over at her clock with a sigh. Just a little past midnight.

She didn't want a repeat of the night before; 3 hours of sleep isn't really her idea of a good time. That's why this meeting had to go by as fast as it could possibly go.

Her mother was in the kitchen, leaning her back against the sink. Although she was hesitant to do so, she peered into the kitchen on her way out, watching her mom just stare at the walls of the kitchen with blank, brown eyes. "Mom?" Amu asked, her hands creeping around the corner of the doorway, pulling herself a little bit further into the kitchen. It was all so dramatic and slow, but it was necessary.

"Amu."

Amu blinked. Great. As she expected, Mom's not happy. "What's wrong?" She asked, mustering up as happy a tone as she could.

"What's wrong?" Her mother mimicked angrily, her untidy, brown hair swinging along with the shake of her head. She turned toward the sink and cut on the water. "Your father isn't home yet, my daughter goes out for hours on end doing God knows what, and I'm out of my fucking smokes!" Her voice had risen to a near shriek, and she tossed a clean cup from the drainer, back into the sink.

Amu bit down on the insides of her lip and turned away, walking through the living room. She grabbed her jacket off of the couch, having the feeling that she was going to need it.

She glanced back at the kitchen, imagining her mother scrubbing the paint off of the dishes. If it wasn't for the situation, she would have laughed. But she instead gritted her teeth, a grim expression stitched to her face as she walked out the front door, slamming the screen behind her. There was no point in saying anything to her mom. No point in saying anything at all. Getting an attitude and starting an argument didn't and wouldn't change the way her mother acted. It would just waste ten minutes of her life on the inevitable. And her life was wasted on enough as it was. Her only option was to stay quiet, and watch how everything unfolded. Being quiet was her only shield to staying out of the troubles and unnecessary dramas at both home and school.

Amu looked around the street with a sigh.

The streets were covered with dead leaves, and were soggy because of the rain they'd had a few days ago, so it didn't make the nice, comforting crunching noise when you walked on it. The leaves were pointless. Bits of trash and cigarette butts were scattered everywhere too. Typical. At least, typical where she was. The neighborhood wasn't really that bad... but it wasn't really sanitary to stay in. The night normally bothered a lot of people if they were to walk the streets alone. Amu used to feel the same way until she found her park.

Amu's footsteps halted on the very curb of her park, and she felt the same way she always did when she saw it.

At ease, at home, and peacefully alone.

She stepped onto the sidewalk and immediately went to the children's area. She smiled as she hooked her fingers through six of many knotted diamonds that made the slanted net. Amu gripped the small knots and climbed her way up to the plastic, rough brown 'floor' of the play-set. Scooting over, she stared through those little diamonds, looking at the moonlit mulch that was blanketed on the ground. She laid her legs in front of her, moving over so that they hung onto a shin, silver slide. She saw her reflection in one of the huge poles that supported the whole set, and winced.

It wasn't that she was ugly. She didn't think she was, and she didn't think anyone else thought she was, either. Seeing her reflection surprised her even though she was prepared for it. She didn't look at herself often, not even when she brushed her teeth with the giant, hideous mirror plastered right in front of her. Staring at the pole, she saw her pale, milky face, and the bright pink contrasting with it. She reached up and self-consciously smoothed down her hair.

Judging by he Moon's position in the sky, it was just about 1:35. She usually spent a good amount of time staring and reflecting in the park; tonight was no different. Still wanting time to read though, she slid down the slide and took her book into her hands, pulled out her readers' light, and cracked the book open for a nice read.

-An Hour Later-

Amu looked up when she heard the sound of someone clearing their throat. "Hm?" She blinked a few times, words from her book still imprinted on the backs of her eyelids. She glanced over at the bushes and froze for a second before relaxing instantly. She smiled a little. "Uhm... Doesn't standing like that feel uncomfortable?" She asked the stranger quizzically.

The infamous Mr. Violin was poised with his back against the pine needles of the bush, with one leg crossed over the other. He stood straight and shook his head, with a smirk adorning his face. "No. Not at all." He nodded toward her book. "What are you reading?"

"A book about Mythology." She said, closing the book. "Myths and legends." It wasn't technically a lie. There were a few myths lodged into the book. It was in reality, just a giant cliche romance novel.

He blinked and nodded, stepping away from the bush. "Sounds like it would be interesting."

She shrugged, flashing her readers' light at him, particularly in his face. "Why are your eyes like that?" She couldn't help but ask. "Are those contacts, or...?" Her voice trailed off when he shook his head. His hair looked light and airy as he did so, and it made her blush thinking about how it would feel being run through her fingers.

"My eyes are natural, I assure you. But if you'd like me to change the color..." He squinted when the light hit his face again.

"Change the color? Get contacts?" Amu shook her head. "Your eye color is amazing. I've never seen such a blue. It reminds me of an Aurora Borealis-y color. I wish I had them." She wasn't a fan of her plain, hazel eyes.

He tilted his head a little. "Are humans always envious of what they can't have?"

She blinked. "Are you inferring that you're not human, yourself?" She asked multiple questions already, and it seemed to have opened the floodgates for more.

His eyes widened a little as if he'd said too much. "Well..." Resolve flashed on his face before she could blink, and he looked at her. Assessing her. "Aren't you cold?"

Amu had her jacket tied around her waist, and the hairs on her arms stood up. Goosebumps decorated her flesh. She shook her head. "No, not really. Aren't you cold?"

He had no coat. Just the same tunic she saw him in yesterday. He shook his head. "I don't really get cold easily." He smirked as if enjoying a joke only he would comprehend. "I know how to keep my body temperature up and in control."

"Yeah?" Amu wanted to be in on the joke too, so she tried to egg him on. "And how exactly do you do that?"

Mr. Violin suddenly lit up, seemingly more interested in the conversation than before. "I'm delighted you asked." He looked more like on the verge of laughter. He held out his hand, and nodded his head toward the bushes. "Come, and we'll talk."

Amu stood up, setting her book on the slide, assured of it's safety. She looked at his hand, getting the same pull and ripple she had the other night. "I really don't want to...Uh... Touch you." She commented as politely as she could.

The expression he gave her sent her into small, impulsive giggles. Apparently no one had ever old him that they didn't want to touch him. "Sorry...?" He questioned, confusion in both his face and voice. Before she could explain herself he looked away, clearing his throat for the second time that night. "Alright then.." He dropped his hand and instead motioned towards the bush. "Ladies first."

"How polite." Amu muttered, stepping through the bushes, self-conscious of the radiating heat near her back. 'Jeez. He probably doesn't even need a coat during the Winter.' She thought grudgingly. What she would give for that kind of body heat...

"Over there." He said from close behind; his voice seemingly back to it's casual, carefree tone.

"Over where?" Amu asked, squinting her eyes, looking for somewhere that wasn't plain grass. Mr. Violin stepped ahead, grabbing hold of her hand, steering her in the right direction. She sat and said thank you.

Only, that's not how it happened...

R&R. I would appreciate it.