A Belated Gift

Pairing: Amu and Ikuto.

Event?: Do ya see the title?

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of this story, I just own the plot... so there.

Author's Note: There should be another one of these at the bottom... but for now, I hope that some of you would notice that (' ') are thought quotations and (" ") are speaking... Just letting some of the slow ones know. Thank you. : I do hope you would enjoy this spark of enlightenment. Be sure to comment to tell me if you loved it, hated it, meh'ed (lol, I used it like a verb, ha. I'ma dork!) it, or anything other. I do look at requests when I am fresh out of ideas and that happens a lot. I strictly do IkutoxAmu based pairing... but maybe once in a blue moon; I'd lighten up and do something else.

:

It was September 24, her big day. It was Amu's birthday. Like every girl should celebrate their big 1-6, showering themselves with gifts and parties and whatnot. Amu wasn't celebrating anything. Oh, yes, her parents were going to throw her a party and all, but once again, fighting and reverting X-eggs stole up her time like a never ending black hole.

"Amu-chan, look out!" warned Tadase, as the X-egg sent out a whirl of purple and black aura out at Amulet Heart.

Amu grunted as she dodged the attack, skidding to a halt and then jumping into the air again to wear the egg out. Her other friends were helping her and were trying their best. When the X-egg was now visibly growing more tired by the second, Amu readied herself to purify it.

With a triumphant shout, "Open your heart!" the X-egg was purified.

"That was great work, Amu-chan," smiled Nadeshiko.

"Awesome, Hinamori-san!" cheered Kukai, "It's too bad that you spent your whole birthday fighting the X-egg."

"Yaya had a big chocolate cake ready for Amu-chan!" Yaya pouted.

"That's okay, everybody. At least I got to spend time with you guys," Amu sighed. Spending the day at an amusement park with her friends would have been better than this, but at least she wasn't alone on her birthday.

"It's getting dark out. We better all get home," Tadase noted, smiling at Amu as they all cheered, "Happy Birthday, Amu-chan!"

Amu couldn't help but smile. Her friends were so nice. They had already exchanged gifts earlier on, and she loved them all. Still, now watching her friends go home, she couldn't help but feel a little disappointment. Something was missing, and she could feel it. Something was missing, but she just couldn't put her finger on it. Shrugging it off, Amu made her way slowly home. Watching the setting sun on the way back.

While walking through the streets towards home, she happened upon a jewelry shop and peeked in through the window. There she saw the most gorgeous choker. There was an assortment of jewels embedded around the black choker; pink topaz, blue topaz, and emerald. Hanging from the front of the choker was a diamond cross-looking shape. Almost like an X.

"Wow, that's pretty," breathed Amu. 'I would love to have that, but I know it's too expensive for anyone to actually get it for me.' she thought, 'Oh well.'

Amu kept walking home, taking a second glance back to the beautiful jewel studded choker in the window. Amu smiled wistfully at a little daydream in her head if someone had actually gotten it for her as a surprise. Scoffing at her own nonsense, she quietly made it home.

Not a long ways away from where the jewelry shop was stood a certain blue-haired boy, or man was more like it. He was carefully watching Amu staring at something in a jewelry store in a longing fashion. After a little while, he watched as Amu sighed and walked away.

He waited until she walked away when he approached the shop window and looked in. Right away, the bejeweled choker caught his eye.

'This is must be what she was looking at,' thought the blue-haired man. Staring at the direction Amu went, and without another thought the blue-haired man calmly walked away from the window.

"What were you looking at, Ikuto, nyaa?" asked Yoru, Ikuto's little shugo chara.

"Nothing," Ikuto said idly, "Nothing at all..."

Yoru was confused, Ikuto had looked into the window intensively only to walk away not caring at all. Yoru wondered what was going on, but with his cat-like qualities, the matter was only brushed away with a swish of his little tail.

Amu arrived at home finally, only to be bombarded by her little sister, Ami, "Big sister! Big sister! Happy birthday, happy birthday!" Ami continued this barrage by singing the 'Happy Birthday' song. Which, Amu greatly appreciated, but wasn't really up to listening to the rest of it.

"Happy birthday, Amu-chan! We're sorry that it took so long but we finally got you a cake!" her mother beamed.

"My beautiful little canary, Papa is so happy! Papa's little girl is getting so... so... big!" Amu's Papa suddenly started to cry; his little girl was growing older and older by the second. She wasn't his little finch anymore.

"Ah, thank you, everyone," Amu smiled.

"Wow, look at the cake, desu!" cried out Su, as she marveled at the beauty of the decorating of flowers and ribbons made of frosting.

"Yum, I can't wait to dig in!" Cheered Ran, she was eyeing the cake hungrily.

"Me, too." Added Miki. And so, they dug in.

Lying in bed that night, with her belly full of sugar and sweets, Amu happened to see a full moon right outside her balcony. 'What a nice night.' Thought Amu. Even so, she still felt like there was something missing.

The next day was a Saturday, and Amu was happy to be outside in the sun-filled air and out spending her birthday money she had gotten.

"Hmm, I wonder where I should go now..." Amu pondered lightly. She really wanted a new studded belt; her old one was smaller now. Her hips had sure gotten wider and now her chest was full. She now thought it silly that she was so worried back in 4th grade that her breasts wouldn't ever fill out. Now, she didn't have to worry anymore.

"Amu-chan! Let's go to that art shop over there! We need to get some new markers, remember?" Miki almost shot up 3 more feet when she spotted the store. Amu had finally gotten the hang of drawing and was now thoroughly enjoying it. Quickly agreeing, they skipped over to the art shop.

It was like a sweet-tooth ladened child stepping into a candy shop. The smell of art supplies quickly started to cloud Amu's brain, drowning her into a happily sated euphoria. Miki had the same reaction while the other two shugo charas just floated happily along the isles, admiring the tools.

Amu, with the help of Miki, quickly selected the supplies that they wanted and brining it in to the cashier. When Amu placed the things on the counter, she looked up to the cashier register person in complete and total surprise.

"I-Ikuto?!" Amu wasn't expecting her rival in the Embryo-searching world and almost dropped a brand new sketchbook. Amu was staring, or more like gawking, at the cat boy dressed in an apron. A striped-apron. A red and white striped apron, that totally clashed with Ikuto's dark outfit, and with his indifferent expression, it just him look like he didn't need to be here. Almost goofy-looking.

"... What?" Ikuto asked, raising a single eyebrow.

The corner of Amu's mouth twitched into a smile, that then twitched into a chuckle and then twitched into an out right fit of giggles and snorts. Her charas laughed along with her and couldn't stop. One of Ikuto's eyebrows twitched in an irritated manner when the laughing did not cease. He patiently waited until the laughing would eventually stop.

It didn't.

Amu hadn't seen the cat-eared boy for a while, and since this would be the first time in a long while, and Ikuto happened to be dressed in a preppy looking apron that so wasn't his style. Amu couldn't help but laugh her belly up 'till she could barf out the cake she had last night.

"Okay, enough!" Ikuto shouted angrily. His eyebrow was twitching again as he glared at Amu.

"Hee hee, wow. That was the best laugh I've had in a long time," Amu giggled brushing away a tear or two. Yes, the sight of Ikuto made her laugh that hard.

"Are you going to buy these items or what?" Ikuto grumbled, a tiny blush was creeping onto his cheeks. He didn't like to be laughed at. Not to the extent of tear shedding.

"Y-yes, hee hee," Amu giggled more, "Do you work here?"

"... Yes. If I wasn't I wouldn't be wearing this!" Ikuto pointed to the offending apron. That made Amu laugh a bit more.

"W-why? Are you broke?" The question made Ikuto ponder the answer for a moment.

"Kinda... I guess." Ikuto replied while bagging the items.

"Oh, what for? Are you saving up for something important?" Amu paid for her supplies.

"... I guess. Are you going to leave or what? You're being annoying."

Affronted by the sudden behavior, Amu lost all interest of Ikuto's business for working at an arts supplies store. Amu was just about to turn to leave when she felt a hand close around her neck.

A soft gasp escaped her as she was gently pulled back towards the counter, "Wha? What?"

"Amu!" cried out her charas. Gently, Amu was pulled against the counter and she felt a warm breath at the back of her neck and a soft brush of something against her head.

"I-Ikuto?" Amu's blush crept all the way from one side of her face to the other as she realized it was Ikuto. Ikuto delicately tilted Amu's pink head back, as if he were dealing with something precious and breakable.

Ikuto hummed, and to what Amu could tell, he was taking measurements with his hand. "Your neck is really thin... I've never noticed before."

"Ikuto?" Upon hearing his name, Ikuto took notice of the clear redness of Amu's face.

Smirking devilishly he remarked, "Why is your face so red, little kid? What did you think I was going to do to you?"

A thousand reasons crossed Amu's mind of the reason why, and all of them shouldn't be something a minor could think of. Her face reddened.

"Oh? Thinking dirty thoughts, Amu?" Ikuto's smirk broadened as he leaned his face closer to hers.

"N-no! No! I'm not! No, no, no!" Amu fought vigorously against Ikuto's hold, and he only let go when another customer appeared at the door. It was none other than the kiddy king himself, Tadase.

"Amu, are you okay?" Tadase asked, as Amu raced to the entranceway, her face redder than the ripest tomato.

"Y-yea. I'm okay. Yah." Tadase glared at Ikuto who was just leaning against the counter on his right arm, his head slightly tilted with an amused look planted on his face. The smirk was still playing on his lips.

"What do you think you were doing, you thieving cat?" asked Tadase.

"Nothing..." Ikuto's gaze was fixed onto Amu's still reddened features.

"Amu, are you okay?" asked Ran. Amu nodded, her mind wandering about on how close Ikuto's face was.

"Come on, Amu-san. Let's get out of here," directed Tadase. Nodding, Amu got out of the store. "Are you okay, Amu-san?"

"Y-yea. I'm fine."

"That's good," Tadase smiled his sweetly prince smile at her, which only intensified Amu's blush more.

Amu still had a crush on Tadase, the two were getting closer and closer every time they met. Still, nothing has happened between the two.

"So, what're you doing here Tadase?" Amu asked, getting her mind off the subject.

"I was just going to the store to buy some supplies for a project I'm working on for school."

"Oh, that's nice," Amu commented, now silently attacking her mind if she had any important projects she had to do over the weekend.

Just then, there was a little tune playing softly around them. Tadase realized it was coming from his cell. "I'm sorry, Amu-san. I have to take this."

"It's okay." Amu politely took a couple steps away from Tadase as he took his call. Amu was idly admiring the sweet smells coming from the bakery a few paces ahead of them.

"I'm sorry, Amu-san," Tadase began after he finished with his call, "Something just came up, and the project just got scrambled."

"Really? What happened?"

"Ah, Pochi had an accident."

"Pochi?"

"I just recently acquired a new puppy. He hasn't been properly house-trained yet."

"Aw, that's so cute! I should visit your new puppy sometime!"

"Yea, you should." Tadase smiled his princely smile at Amu again, and Amu took the hint and they decided she would come over next weekend.

They parted ways, and Amu was left alone walking the streets with her three charas.

The next day, Amu decided to go window-shopping before she had to go to work. Amu worked at a local pastry shop, and it was thanks to Su that Amu took an interest. Amu was wandering along the shops on the street when she happened to come across a pet center. In the window there was a litter of puppies. Each healthy looking and jumping around and ecstatically waving their little tails. It was a cute sight.

"Aw, look! Puppies!" Su squealed.

"Yah! They're so cute!"

"I think I'll sketch this one." Miki pointed to a golden furred pup that was leaning against the window to get a closer look at the chara. Apparently, animals could see them.

"They're adorable." Amu smiled at one pup that kept trying to chase its tail. It failed miserably and falling on its rump, its head spinning round and round. This earned a giggle from the pink-haired girl.

Just then, Amu heard a lot of squealing girls off to one side of the street. She turned to look where the noise was coming from. It was coming from a little cafe that just opened a few days ago. It was supposed to be this really cute place to hang around in.

Curiosity got the best of her and she moved towards the little cafe. Pushing her way through the horde of squealing girls, Amu made it to the front of the cafe. Upon looking through the window into the cafe, she spotted a blue-haired man rolling on roller blades inside the cafe, dressed in a tux carrying a tray of drinks. A second glance and Amu could see that it was Ikuto skating around the cafe.

"What?" Amu was confused. First, Ikuto worked at the art shop, and now a cafe? What exactly was he up to?

Ikuto looked up from serving a customer, another girl with hearts in her eyes, and saw Amu looking through the window like the rest of the pack of squealing, giggling girls. Inside the cafe was already filled to its capacity of customers. Ikuto gave Amu a little smirk and skated away to another customer. From what Amu can see, Ikuto was getting really great tips.

Shaking her head, Amu escaped the horde of girls surrounding the area and ran along to work. She was running late already, and she didn't want it to be Ikuto for her reason of tardiness. Seeing those girls around the cafe gave a tug at Amu, a hint of jealousy slithered its way into her mind.

'Geez, so Ikuto's got a flock of girls hanging around him all the time. Just what does he think he's doing?' Amu thought, 'Ikuto thinks he's so great that he can attract the attention of a whole street of girls... thinks he's all that... why I ought to...'

Fuming, Amu made it to work. Taking in the first step inside and breathing all the smells of the pastries baking in the oven immediately cleared her head. For the rest of the day, Amu's mind didn't wander off to the little cafe of girls and Ikuto.

Well... maybe a bit.

The next day was a school day, and that meant more homework. Luckily, Amu had a substitute and he didn't assign any homework for the day. When classes ended Amu walked to the park with Nadeshiko and Yaya. Exchanging what they did over the weekend and which bands they were into now. Their shugo charas were all together somewhere doing something, Kiseki said it was important or whatever.

"Oh, but Yaya likes the drummer guy. He is so cute!"

"No, I prefer Tommy from the band, Maniacally. He's the one in the glasses." Nadeshiko commented. "What about you, Amu-chan? Who do you prefer?"

"I don't know. They're not in my tastes." Amu said truthfully.

"Oh, I see. You prefer princely little blonds, hm?" Nadeshiko smiled knowingly.

Amu then blushed furiously, "Ah, I don't know what you're talking about. Hey, how about we go to that new cafe that just opened?"

"Oh, Yaya has been there! It's really cute! The stools by the counter are made to look like candy drops! Yum!" Yaya smiled as she licked her lips.

"Okay, sure!" Amu would have agreed to anything to get off of that subject.

They managed to get a table at the cafe inside. It was so crowded inside that they barely had room to move their chairs.

"Wow, this place is really packed," Nadeshiko said.

"Yes, Yaya heard that this place hires pretty looking men to attract the attention."

"Would explain the growing number of girls," commented Nadeshiko, looking around.

Amu looked around at the waiters on roller blades and how good they looked. Amu couldn't shake the feeling that she had forgotten something. Something really important.

"Hello, ladies. How may I be of service to you this afternoon?" The girls all looked up to a very handsome looking young man with dark brown hair that messily, in a good way, reached his shoulders.

"A-ah, w-well, Yaya..." Yaya couldn't finish her sentence; the beauty of the boy's features blinded her and impaired her speech. Nadeshiko didn't seem to fare well either.

The dark brunette looked down to Amu's slightly blushing face and asked again, "How may I be of service, miss?" The brunette took Amu's hand up to his lips and he gently brushed them against the back of her hand. Amu's blush increased ten-fold.

"Well... I-I" Amu was interrupted when a strong hand clamped onto the brunette's shoulder. Making him release Amu's hand.

"Excuse me, but this is my table," it was a voice that Amu was very familiar with, and she remembered that important thing.

"Ikuto!" Yaya and Nadeshiko shouted together, Amu was still hazy from the hand to lip contact.

Ikuto kept a firm hand on the brunette's shoulder; they stared at each other in a silent argument until finally the brunette left. Now Ikuto, who now seemed to notice that there were occupants at the table.

"How can I be of service?" He asked coolly, taking out a pad and pen ready to take an order down.

"Yaya would like to have a chocolate milkshake," Yaya said warily.

"A strawberry shortcake, please," Nadeshiko didn't take her eyes off the thieving cat, not in a good way.

Ikuto's gaze then fell onto Amu's still blushing face, awaiting her order. Amu could see a silent resentment in his eyes. It wasn't meant for her though, it seemed that Ikuto was concentrated on her hand, the one where the brunette's lips had touched.

"Ahh... I, I'd like a... a chocolate parfait. Please," Amu added. Ikuto nodded roughly and skated away into the kitchen, but not without sending a cold glare towards the brunette on the way.

"What was that about?" Nadeshiko didn't miss the look Ikuto gave to the brunette.

"Nothing, it's nothing."

Later, Ikuto brought the orders to them gracefully. With all the grace a cat could offer, not even a single misstep, not even when the brunette seemed to stick out his foot in an attempt to trip Ikuto. Ikuto saw it coming and dodged it and laced in the movement with a careful swerve left, as to not spill the order on his tray. Ikuto placed them on the table and left without a word, but a lingering look on Amu.

Amu pretended not to notice and went along to eating up her parfait. Her friends kept a wary watch upon Ikuto, for if he should try to steal some X-eggs right in front of them. After a couple of moments, they stopped and went along to chatting away things a girl would chat about. Soon enough, it was time for the friends to leave. It was already getting too late and they were to their last dollar spending it on sweets at the cafe. The food was absolutely delicious, if they were to spend another minute there, they would have to make I.O.U.'s to themselves.

"See you tomorrow, Amu-chan!" They both said, as they gave their share of the bill and left.

"See yah." Amu waved.

"Leaving already?" Amu turned around to find Ikuto hovering over her, leaning extremely close to her face.

"Ah!" Amu almost fell over when she found Ikuto so close to her face. Instead of hitting the ground, she felt a firm hold on her waist. Immediately, Amu struggled to get out of the hold and stood at a good arm's length from Ikuto.

With her face newly reddened and her breaths coming and going a little bit faster than before, Ikuto found this strangely amusing. Crossing his arms with that same devilish smirk painted across his features he watched Amu like an owl might study its prey before pouncing. This unsettled Amu a little.

The two stood like that for a while. Ikuto with his arms crossed staring at Amu, and Amu with her arms raised as if she was to defend herself from something. Amu slowly began to realize that the cafe had gotten quieter. Looking around, she saw that the girls and even the waiters were all looking at them. Some of the girls were even glaring at her.

"What? What's happening?" whispered one girl to her friend. Her friend whispered back, but Amu didn't catch it, but they were glaring at her while they were whispering. The atmosphere surrounding the room had gotten a lot thicker; no one was able to stay calm. Amu didn't stay any longer to see what plays out, she just turned and left Ikuto standing there.

Outside was getting dark with the passing second, and Amu was thinking she was probably lost by now.

'I could have sworn I passed this shop before...' Amu thought. Amu stayed in the open where there was a bunch of other people wandering the streets at night. The street lights were on and the stores won't close until the clubs opened. Amu wouldn't have to worry about being taken away and never seen again. Even so, Amu was still lost, and she had no idea how to get home.

When Amu had left the cafe, she blindly went anywhere her feet had to bring her. She had been fuming again at the thought of those girls all around Ikuto. She was no idiot, she knew where those incriminating whispers were directed, but Amu didn't understand. She didn't understand why she is getting so mad about this. The image of Ikuto's smirk danced around in her head and wouldn't leave her alone.

"Stupid Ikuto. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I don't know why I should be..." Amu didn't finish her sentence, she didn't know what to end it with. 'Angry? Disappointed? Disappointed about what? Grr...'

"Stupid? ... Should be what?" Amu instantly recognized the voice, she didn't have to turn around to see who it was. Ikuto was breathing against her left ear, and it tickled her, sending shivers down her spine. Amu could feel Ikuto lean down lower to her ear, and he was purposefully breathing into her ear, making her blush.

"I-Ikuto!" Amu jumped forward and stood away from him at an arm's length again. She was holding her ear, her face redder than a cherry on top of a sundae.

"What... were you saying before?" Ikuto asked. He was still wearing his work clothes, he slung the skates over one shoulder, and he looked good like that. Almost natural.

"N-nothing. It's none of your business," for some reason, Amu's face became redder. "If you have nothing more to say, I'm going home!" Amu turned away from him and started heading towards that direction.

"If you go that way, you'll never make it home," Ikuto remarked. Amu hesitated and the corner of her mouth twitched. She didn't know how to get home.

"What... what does it matter to you?" Amu shot back.

"It doesn't," Ikuto said coolly. Amu felt let down for some reason and she refused to acknowledge the reason why. "Come on."

Amu turned around and faced Ikuto, who had his back turned. "Huh? What?"

"Your house is this way," without waiting for her, Ikuto began walking in the opposite direction of where Amu was going before. Amu blinked a couple of times before she realized that Ikuto was offering to walk her home.

They were walking for a long time and the sky was getting darker. Now, the only light source was the moon and the street lights. It was quiet between them and Amu couldn't take another second of it. So she broke the silence, "Ikuto?"

"Yea?"

"Are there other jobs you have or are there just two?" Amu didn't know what to say and just asked the question at the top of her head.

"... There's... another job." Ikuto seemed reluctant to answer the question.

"Why? Do you need the money?"

"Yea, I guess..." Amu was really interested now.

"Really? What for?"

"Nothing..."

"Aw, come on, you can tell me! I won't say."

"You're being annoying," Ikuto finally said. That quieted Amu for a while, it seemed that Ikuto wasn't going to spill.

"Hmph, fine."

It was like that for awhile, complete silence except for the tapping of feet on the ground. It was starting to get to Amu, she had to have something to do, and being quiet wasn't something she could hold for long. Ran was rubbing off on her.

"Ikuto?"

"Hm?"

"Where's your violin case? You always carry it around with you." Give, Amu hadn't seen it with him. Not when he was working at the art supplies store or at the cafe.

"It's with Yoru, he said he would guard it for me back at home."

"Oh, really?"

"Why?" Ikuto stopped and turned to look at her, carrying a bemused expression on his face.

"I was just thinking..."

"What was it?" He fully turned around and leaned down towards her face. Amu had to lean back a little so she can focus on his face. Amu could feel her face heat up again.

"I... I was just thinking that..."

"Yes?" Ikuto leaned his face in more, their foreheads were already touching, another centimeter and their lips would have to be acquainted.

"I haven't heard you play for a long time, and I was just thinking that maybe... you'd play... for me?" Amu looked away and she could feel her face blush harder.

"You want me to play for you?" Ikuto asked coolly, it didn't seem to her that he noticed that her face had turned a few shades darker of red.

"Y-yes..." Ikuto's face lingered in front of hers for a minute or two; studying her features. Then, his face disappeared from in front of her, and he started walking again. Amu didn't know what to do but to follow him.

After awhile, Amu finally made it back to her house, with the help of Ikuto, of course.

"We're here..."

"Ah, thank you, Ikuto. For... taking me home." Amu wasn't looking at Ikuto, she was busy studying the folds of her skirt; she would need to buy a new one soon, this one was getting too small for her.

Then, Amu felt a breeze brush against her and then she felt the lightest of touches against her forehead. When Ikuto moved away, it took Amu a second to realize what had happened. Again, her face turned a color to rival Kukai's hair.

"Huh?! What?!" Amu lifted her hand against her forehead where Ikuto had kissed her.

Ikuto just smirked his smirk and started walking away, but not without saying, "You'll get the rest of your present later."

Amu didn't understand what he meant by that, and wasn't sure if she wanted to know. Even still, Amu stood there at the front of her house and watched Ikuto walk away.

The next couple of days Amu hadn't seen Ikuto. She'd make excuses for herself and go into the cafe where he worked or the art supplies store; his other job. She still didn't find him anywhere. She'd wander around town for hours, just to be able to see if he worked anywhere else. She finally caught a break when she saw a blue-haired man ride past her on a bicycle, wearing a hat and uniform with a pizza company's logo on it.

'It must have been one of his other jobs,' Amu thought as she watched him ride along the sidewalk and disappear around a corner. 'I wonder why he has so many jobs.'

A few days after seeing him riding along on the bike, Amu found a neatly wrapped package in red plaid on top of her pillow in her room. 'What? What's this?'

"Ooh! A Present, Amu-chan! A present!" Cheered Ran.

"I wonder who it's from, desu!" said Su.

"The wrapping is so neat," Miki commented.

"It looks so pretty," Amu whispered. She took the top off and what she found inside made her lose a bit of color from her face.

"What is it, what is it?!" asked Su and Ran.

"It's... it's the choker," Amu took out the bejeweled choker she had found in the window of the jewelry shop, the one she had wanted. Words couldn't describe how surprised she was.

"Are those real jewels?" Miki asked.

"I think so..." said Amu.

"It must have cost a fortune," Ran said in awe.

Amu remembered the many jobs Ikuto had acquired. 'No, it couldn't be... could it?'

"How would he know?" breathed Amu quietly.

Just then, Amu heard a beautiful melody playing outside her balcony. Amu immediately rushed to open the glass door to see if Ikuto was there. She had so many questions to ask him. When she was out in the balcony, she didn't see Ikuto anywhere.

"What is it, Amu-chan?" asked Ran.

"Nothing... I guess." Absentmindedly, Amu fingered the jewels on the choker as she kept looking for any signs of the cat thief.

There was a small gasp from one of her charas and Amu turned around to see what was the matter only to find that it was Ikuto standing right behind her. He was elegantly playing his violin; soft, beautiful notes came from the strings and Amu closed her eyes to catch those notes in her mind and savor it. The sound was so light and airy, with the moonlight in the background, it was perfect.

Sadly, the song ended and Ikuto stopped playing. When Amu opened her eyes, Ikuto had taken the choker from her hands and started to put it around her neck.

"I hope I got the size right..." Ikuto said more to himself than anyone. Amu stayed completely still, a small blush creeping up to her cheeks as Ikuto's hands fiddled around her neck, slightly brushing against her cheeks at times. "There. It fits." Ikuto smiled, a genuine smile.

Amu lifted her fingers to touch the choker, and through the reflection of her sliding glass door; it looked great on her. It suited her well.

"I-Ikuto..." Amu didn't know what to say, where to start. She was bewildered at the expense of Ikuto's present, and something inside her started to give a little.

Ikuto's smile was gone and was replaced with a smirk, "What? No thank you?"

"Th-thank you, Ikuto... really. Thanks." Amu smiled up at Ikuto.

His features softened as he set his violin and bow aside and took a step towards Amu. Amu froze, she didn't know what to do or what exactly was happening. Ikuto took Amu's chin in his hand and lifted it slightly, bringing her golden gaze into his dark ones. Slowly, he descended towards Amu's face, and Amu didn't make any move to stop him. Softly, and gently, their lips touched. Somewhere in the background, her charas were in shock.

Amu closed her eyes and leaned into the kiss, counting the seconds that passed by that their lips were still touching. Amu counted all the way to thirty before the kiss broke. It was a soft kiss and nothing else. Amu bit her lip and looked away.

"What is it? Wasn't what you expected?" Ikuto asked.

Amu hesitated before shaking her head.

"Oh, well then... I'll just have to fix that, hm?" And Ikuto took Amu by her waist and delved in by taking her lips in between his teeth and started to kiss her rather roughly. To say Amu was shocked was an understatement. A tiny moan escaped her when Ikuto held her a little more closer and made the kiss a little more deeper.

When Ikuto broke the kiss, Amu was out of breath and her cheeks were redder than an apple. Amu looked up to Ikuto, who was also out of breath, and didn't say anything. She was content to have this moment stay like this. Amu smiled at Ikuto, which threw him off balance, and he gave a small smile back.

Ikuto then leaned in again and whispered, "Happy belated birthday, Amu." With that, he gave a final kiss on her forehead and leaped off the balcony with his violin set. Turning around to catch a glimpse of him, instead she saw the bright full moon instead. A small smile played with her features as she felt the choker around her neck. The feeling that something was missing had been filled.

'Maybe I'll visit the cafe tomorrow...'

Author's Note: Okay! I finally finished! I wanted to make something nice. This baby is already pushing 10 pages! Lol. So, what do you think? Hm? Hm?! Tell me what you think about it in a review, if ya hate it, loved it, think it deserves to be in the garbage... da de da. Haha, whatever. I'll take requests on more plots. God knows how many ideas I can actually put down in ink... or... typed? Yah... If you like. Send in ideas, I just might use some of them. Well... that's it for now. I think I'll go soak my wrists in ice...

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