* 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.


Amu's POV:

Those boys are so exhausting. Both of them. Both Ikuto and Tadase.

Amu sat on her bed and kicked her feet up to relax, releasing a soft sigh as she stared up at her ceiling. It had been a week since Ikuto and Tadase's tense encounter, and it'd been 4 days since she'd seen either of them. She wasn't really worried, but she was a bit curious on what Ikuto was up to. She'd always wondered what he did when he wasn't in the park, or around her. 'Oh, enough.' She nagged silently, rolling her eyes. It was a bit clingy of her. Sure, they had kissed-and sure, Ikuto's display of jealousy made her feel warm and tingly, but lately she had the feeling that the dilemma with growing attached to Ikuto was escaping her. Constantly, she needed to remind herself that her crush was getting out of hand. The entire point of having a crush is to keep it a secret. But... Ikuto wanted her too, right? Of course he did. That much was obvious. And knowing that made a warmth curl about in her belly, swirling and swelling, making her eager and excited. She imagined his silk-like hair; his lustrous amaranthine eyes. How amazing it would feel to run her fingers through his hair, tugging him close, secretly relishing his magnetizing musk.

"Geez!" She yelped. Her cheeks burned and she sat up, rubbing them as if she were trying to scrub away the heat.

Sitting up, she reached over to grab her phone. Once settled, she scrolled through her contacts before selecting the one she needed. Pressing the 'call' button, she pressed the phone to her ear, and waited for the ring of the phone.

"Hello?" A soft voice answered after a moments ring.

"Oh, bless!" Amu sighed happily. "I didn't think you'd answer! You're always so busy and I didn't think that I'd see you at all this year, haha!"

She miss Rima. Her cool, stubborn attitude went head to head with her own. She carried herself as if she were royalty; something Amu envied about the short girl. Oh, yes. She was short. With silken hair longer than you'd believe! The combination made her look like a small doll. It was almost unreal.

"Amu?" The calm, monotone voice interrupted her reverie.

"O-OH! Sorry, sorry, did you say anything?" Amu became flustered and waved a hand in the air frantically.

"I wondered if you were alright? It's unusual for you to call me at this time."

Amu eye's flickered to her clock and she blushed. 4 AM. Damn, she needed to fix her sleeping schedule.

"Sorry!" She exclaimed once again. "I didn't realize the time!"

"It's alright, Amu. I'm glad you called. Even though you seem to be all out of sorts!" Rima voice was laced with sleepiness and what sounded like genuine pleasantries.

She was right. Amu had been feeling a little off the wall the past few months. Since the day she met Ikuto, if she was honest and admitted it. She figured that he was the source of her flustered, manic behavior. Her mind wouldn't allow her to return to her cool and spicy attitude and devil-may-care personality. She felt conflicted. Was that who she was? A person who intimidated everyone? Someone who refused sociability and reveled in the silence of being a lone wolf? Or was she a person who refused sociability because she feared it. And reveled in the silence of being a lone wolf because she craved a crowd?

"Hey... Rima?" She murmured, still deep in thought.

"Yes, Amu?"

Amu smiled and hinted, "I think I need someone to come pull me out of my cave."

There was a light, melodious ring of laughter; contagious and welcomed. "Girls' night?"

Amu nodded. "Girls' night."

Ikuto's POV:

"What do you mean you're not meeting me at the park later?" Ikuto questioned. He was dumbfounded. She'd never missed a meeting with him. In fact, she'd never had a reason to. It was sad to say, but it was the truth. She always talked about having a large group of friends, but he'd never actively seen her do anything outside of those excruciating class activities.

"I have something else to do tonight." Amu said coolly, leaning back against.

Something else? Tonight? Ikuto couldn't help the flow of human emotion that ran through him. It was a new emotion. One he'd only felt once before; when Amu was getting intimate with that damned kiddy king. He tasted it multiple times on humans, but never imagined that he'd feel it in himself. The experience was not fun. His eyes narrowed a bit and he gave Amu a suspicious stare. Amu only raised an eyebrow in return, tasting of confusion and curiosity.

"Yes, Ikuto?"

"You can't go." He simply folded his arms. The nights were his time with her. If that kiddy king wanted her, he'd have to take the morning slot. Albeit, that idea didn't help his jealousy, it was a start.

"Can't..." Amu spoke slowly, her eyes narrowing as well. "Go?"

"Yeah. You can't." He didn't bother explaining himself. He didn't think he needed to.

"And who are you to tell me what I can and can't do?" She snapped at him.

The heat and sharp, bitter tang of nothing in particular that filled his mouth was the most indefinite sign of her anger. He merely smirked and stepped closer to her. "You know who I am."

Amu now, was glaring. "Oh, I do. But Ikuto doesn't tell me what to do."

He stepped back, lifting and crossing his arms behind his head comfortably. "If you go, I'll be upset... I want to spend time with you," he said, pausing and relenting.

Amu seemed to calm down herself; the bitter taste in his mouth disappearing. "Ikuto, I see you almost every night. And I planned to go out last week. There's no way I'm cancelling."

Ikuto raised an eyebrow this time. "Kiddy king made you wait an entire week for a night alone?"

"Kiddy king? Who's..." Amu paused and her face reddened. The way it usually did when he brought up Tadase. "Oh! No...No.." She shook her head. "I'm not going with him."

Ikuto's eyes widened and he grew angry. Another human emotion he'd grown accustomed to. He immediately stomped over to her and got into her face, careful to keep from touching her skin. "How many males are courting you!?" He could handle one- but two? Three?! Maybe the god's were laughing at him!

"Excuse me?!" Amu's face reddened once more. "How many?! What are you implying Ikuto?!"

His jealousy made him blind. "You know what I'm implying! You're cancelling on me, ditching that stupid kiddy king; only to spend the night with another stranger?! Who is he? Have I yet to meet the fellow?! Is it that coffee-shop employee!?"

"Kukai?! No! Ikuto, what are you...?!" She waved her hands around in the air, her face now a beet red; fumbling for something to say.

"I can barely stand to see you with that blonde-haired heathen! How will I be able to stand another?" He stepped back and pressed his index finger and thumb on the bridge of his nose, inhaling before going on. "You drive me insane, Amu." His voice was cold with irritation.

He didn't have to stare at her to know she was laughing. Or hear her for that matter. Her feelings of disbelief and amusement collided and permeated his mouth. But he couldn't understand! His hands dropped to his sides and his brow quirked. "What's so funny, strawberry?"

When he opened his mouth a second time, Amu hunched forward, her hands on her knees as a loud, melodious laugh escaped her. Somehow, it was contagious; causing him to laugh as well- though his laugh was a bit on edge. What the hell was wrong with her?

"I-I shouldn't be laughing. Hahaha! Y-You practically assumed that I was a whore! Bwehehehe!" Amu shook her head and stood straight, looking at him as she laughed.

Ikuto grew a little concerned and braced himself for a slap that seemed apparent. Instead, she pulled a small hand held mirror out of her back pocket and held it in front of her face. He knew the drill seeing as she always did this now, since the day of the coffee shop incident. He sighed with relief and he stepped forward, carefully pressing his lips against the surface of the mirror at the same time Amu had. He made sure their noses didn't touch, placing a gloved hand over the tip of his as they shared another indirect kiss.

Moments later, they pulled away and Ikuto smiled warmly. Some days, he couldn't believe what he had turned into. Ikuto felt like a normal high school boy some days. He felt envy, jealousy, anger, and happiness. He felt all of these things for the first time in the many centuries he'd existed. "Amu..." He gave a small smile, pleasantly surprised with the warm coil that grew within his very core. Such an intimate feeling, it was.

"Ikuto, my friends and I want to spend time together at home." She explained after the long moment of silence. Before he could open his mouth, she raised a hand. "No, you can't come."

"Oh? And why not strawberry?" He challenged.

Amu blushed. "For one, don't call me strawberry. I am not a strawberry. And two, it's a girls night. For girls. And even though they can't see you, I can."

"And what's the problem with that?" He questioned.

"You distract me."

"Hm."

There wasn't much else to say. When he watched Amu turn and walk off, only one thought crossed his mind.

There was no way he was going to not go to that girl's night.


Q: SO. I decided to not put anything overly interesting/dramatic in this chapter. I have the perfect idea for next chapter. Please stick around. And R&R. Those make me happy. Now, I sleep.