* 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 14: Ikuto's POV:
Sitting out on Amu's balcony, he sat staring at her through her glass door. He probably should have been more careful- stealthy- but he figured she was too occupied to notice him. He honestly had no idea what he was doing there. Of course, he'd decided previously that this was what he wanted to do, but he couldn't see entertainment in stomping on her fun. It was a tad chilly as well; which scared him more than anything. He thought about the last time he had sex. It's been awhile. Long enough to keep his body temperature at an unusual low. If I don't find... someone soon- he noted; his thoughts struggling to say the word 'victim'- I'll end up ill. With a sigh, he tugged at his tunic, hating how horridly human he felt. A year ago, he'd step into this damn house and grab the first person he'd seen, if it meant bettering his health. But now...
"Damn the Gods." He cursed, making a face at nothing and no one in particular. He was interested in Amu. Amu peaked his curiosity. He always left her having more questions rather than answers; and she always answered his questions in a way that left him even more curious. He didn't want to get any closer to her than he already was. But at the same time, he felt dissatisfied with where he stood with her. He was not close enough. By the Gods, he was mad. But even more so, ashamed. Ikuto bowed his head at the thought and practically drilled holes into the concrete with his harsh gaze. As a Gancanagh, he was supposed to live up to the title. Their kind was rare to come by; one might put them on the 'endangered species' list. Their very race was the rarest. He couldn't afford to taint, or defile his name in anyway. He could not. Yoru hadn't fucked things up, nor did the others before him.
But at the same time... none of them had fallen for a human like he has.
He shook that thought from his mind as quickly as it came. No, he hadn't fallen for her. He was merely interested. Of course, neither one of those words were particularly good. But at least being strictly 'interested' would save him from the Iron Death.
"Amuuu!" A stifled, high-pitched voice permeated beyond the closed door. He immediately recognized the voice, and pinned it to the face of that annoying, childlike girl.
"What is it, Yaya?" He heard Amu say lightly, seemingly fair in mood.
Ikuto hopped off of the railing of the balcony and inched closer to the glass door. Luckily, Amu's back was turned-facing him, so he could stand there and observe secretly. To his surprise, it wasn't just that childlike girl accompanying her. There were two others.
"Yaya, you can't cry over everything. We're in college now! We've got to grow up some time or another." The girl who spoke had the voice of a teenage boy before he'd hit puberty. The observation struck Ikuto's curiosity, and he couldn't help but to study her further. The girl was fair in appearance. She'd reminded him of one of his kind; the way they looked, and carried themselves. She had dark purple hair that brushed dangerously near to her rear. At least, that's what he'd assume. He could not tell. She held her hair into a ponytail; tied up with ribbons the color of cherry blossoms. Imitated Sakura flowers were tied at the ends, which made him assume she was into the greenery and essense of life. Her voice was soft, yet firm. Her entire appearance reminded him of the Fae whom danced with such grace in their circles.
He shook his head. Now he was beginning to compare mortals to his own kind. Goddess Fortuna, he was going mad. Yes. Fortuna, the Goddess of good or bad luck; he couldn't help but to feel angered his mental display of disrespect to the Fae. Especially when he'd believed it was all the Fortuna's doing.
Blaming a Goddess... He bowed his head in shame, pressing his forehead against the cold glass of Amu's door. What was happening to him?! He just couldn't comprehend why such horrid luck was happening to him. And it happened all so fast. What could he have done differently? He targeted Amu in the beginning. Planned to victimize her. And then she... ruined it. Him. He couldn't bring himself to despise her, although he knew he had every right to. The more he thought about it, the more angrier he became. And yet, the angrier he became, the more yearning, and hungry he became. He ached for her; needed to acquire and covet her. It was a borderline obsession, he felt; yet he hadn't the slightest idea of what he could do.
"...She's allowed to act that..."
"...Not saying that, Rima-chan!"
"Guys...guys, please! Hah..."
Ikuto stood ramrod straight and pinched the bridge of his nose, his eyes squeezing shut momentarily as he pushed his insanity to the back of his mind. He returned to the activity at hand and tried to catch back up. After listening for awhile, he learned that what the Fae-look-alike had said- which now he's learned is named Nadeshiko- had sparked the bitingly cold attention of the fair-haired girl; who's name he's learned is Rima. Now they're bickering. Rima had wavy blond hair, with long bangs hidden behind a black hair band with a small black ribbon in the middle attached to it. Her hair went down to her waist, and she reminded Ikuto of a doll. A lifeless doll. But, maybe it was just him. And then he glanced at Amu, who seemed burned out. Her emotions were tasteless. He wondered if she'd gotten enough sleep the night before.
"It's now or never." He murmured. The common human phrase fell from his lips in a hollow, overdone manner. He shook his head with grim amusement, and silently ignored the bombardment of more insane thoughts that threatened to scold him for even attempting to be human.
Gripping ahold of the latch of the sliding glass door, he slowly pulled it to the side. His eyes were on Amu's back, and he seen her tension. Along with her sharp, knowing emotion that filled his mouth. He'd have to applaud her for not making a scene. Turning around, and telling him to get out. He wouldn't try to irritate her further; we merely wanted to be here to satiate his curiosity. He maneuvered carefully around the giggling girls, and wrinkled his nose in distaste once he faced Amu. She glared up at him briefly, before turning her attention to her friends. Sitting down in a chair in front of her desk, he made certain not to make the moving chair obvious to the others.
"... I just wanted to see you." He said after a long moment of silence.
Amu's POV:
What... was he doing here? Why was he here? Didn't she tell him not to be here? Does anyone listen to her anymore?! Her mind was going awry, and yet she must have seemed normal to her friends. She had to have. Did Rima notice her distress? Nadeshiko? She did pause in the middle of their bickering. Did she hear him speak?
"Calm down, Amu. They didn't hear me. There's no reason for you to feel perturbed."
How could his voice be so smooth and serene at a time like this? She specifically told him not to come, and he did anyway. Just to see her? She should've felt special, but instead, she felt irked.
"Amu-chan, is everything alright?" Nadeshiko asked, resting a hand on her knee. She looked concerned.
Amu always liked the fact that Nadeshiko was cognizant. So watchful, and bright. Not that Rima and Yaya wasn't. Amu glanced at the both of them as well. They expressed it in different ways. Rima, silently, and Yaya, to the extreme. After a long pause, Amu smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I'm alright."
She would just ignore Ikuto's presence. Or at least try to. This was her girl's night, and she didn't want anyone ruining it!
Knock, knock.
"Amu-chaaaan?" Her mother called through the door, with a borderline forced, gentle voice. "Someone's at the door for you." And with that she heard her mother walk off to her room. At least she didn't make a scene. Her friends had yet to know her family's downfall what with the drugs and alcohol. Why Amu let them come spend the night was beyond her.
"Amu, are you going to get the door?" Rima said, her voice soft yet steely. "It's rude to keep friends waiting."
Amu felt herself sweatdrop, like they do in anime, and she forced a nervous smile. "A-Ah! Yes! You're right, Rima-chan!"
She stood, and barely heard the low, agitated growl from Ikuto. "Don't go opening that door, Amu."
She was already halfway down the polished, wooden stairs when he said that when she noticed that he'd followed her. As soon as she reached the front door, she turned to snap at him quietly, hoping the girls had stayed in her room.
"And why not, Ikuto? You don't listen to me, so why should I do the same for you?" She turned and grabbed a hold of the doorknob when Ikuto's arm shot out and held the door closed, surprising her further.
"Amu, please." The look he gave her almost made her let go of the doorknob. His decadent cobalt bllue eyes were filled with what looked like a pained jealousy. She knew that emotion all too well, and after taking one look at his eyes, she knew exactly who was behind that door.
"I have to open it, Ikuto." She said simply, her eyes dropping to the floor.
It was strange, but she felt as if this were her moment of deciding. That this moment will be the make or break of Ikuto's existence. But she couldn't just leave him sitting outside like that. He came here for a reason, and she doubted it was for anything lovey-dovey. She was sure she could open the door and everything would be fine. And so that's what she did.
The door opened with exaggerated slow movement, and Amu peaked her head out with a small smile. "Tadase. Come on in."
~Later on.~
Ikuto sat fuming in her room once more, and Tadase and Amu sat together on the floor with the others. They were all in a tiny debate. Tadase was pleasantly surprised to see Nadeshiko, and they basically sat catching up on their lives. Rima seemed strangely just as jealous as Ikuto, and they both were brooding quietly. Though Rima occasionally got involved in the conversation, whereas Ikuto left Amu in silence abandoment.
"I'm so glad I came over today." Tadase spoke contently.
Yaya shouted out cheerfully. "You came to see Amu! She's your girlfriend, right?"
Amu's face reddened in embarrassment, but she also started to fidget nervously, ignoring Ikuto's reaction to such. Of course, he knew about her and Tadase's labeled relationship, but he wasn't and still isn't standing for it. He told her so the day of their first glass kiss.
"Um..." She stammered.
Rima took that moment to jump in. Amu knew exactly why she did it. It was as if she were warning Tadase to keep his distance from Nadeshiko. "If that's her girlfriend, you should kiss her."
"K-Kiss..." Amu fumbled for a proper response. She wasn't prepared for this, and she had no idea how she should react. Tadase gave her an uncertain expression, and turned toward her with pure intent.
"No." Ikuto's voice was cold, and it froze her to the bone.
She simply just sat there. She wasn't looking at Tadase, but instead, behind him. Towards the now livid Ikuto.
Tadase didn't hear his rejection though, and was now close enough for Amu to feel the heat of his breath hit her face.
She murmured a silent apology towards Ikuto, unable to deny Tadase. They were together. It was natural. She dated Tadase because Ikuto left her. For a while. Now that Ikuto had returned, it was... too late. Of course, she would rather kiss Ikuto, but she knew it was impossible. She had no future with Ikuto.
Maybe this was the make or break moment. It's happened so fast, it's made her head spin. Her eyes prickled with tears, and she shut her eyes, preparing herself for her destined kiss.
"I said no." His voice was on the brink of heartbreak before, but now it was literally as if he jumped off.
If she thought her love life decision happened all too fast, the speed of Ikuto's bare hand curling around Tadase's mouth was faster. She hadn't seen it until she'd opened her eyes. But when there was silence after his explosion, and Tadase pulled away from her, and she felt no kiss, she thought best to open her eyes. And then she seen the change in Tadase's naturally peaceful face. His cheeks reddened, and he shifted around uncomfortably. His eyes glazed over, and instead of seeing her, he tried to turn his head to see Ikuto.
He touched him.
Ikuto touched him.
Glancing up at Ikuto's face, she ignored the confusion and questions from the girls and said the only five words that came to her mind.
"Ikuto... What have you done?"
Q: I hope this update isn't bad, for the long wait. Anyone like it? I'm curious to hear your opinions. R&R.
