Chapter 10

A solid week after Ikuto and I got together…and I freaked about Utah, I just couldn't sit still. I HAD to be doing something, and being on a ship in the middle of nowhere didn't help. So that just left cleaning and pacing. A lot of cleaning and pacing. "What am I gunna do? Utah is STILL going to kill me, I still wanna go home…" I mumbled to myself while pacing the length of my room in my underwear, my hair leaving a path of water after me, "…and I'm starting to get a little cold…"

"Can I come in?" a muffled voice called through my door after I made it to my duffle and was digging through it to find something to wear.

"Sure, if you don't mind being blinded." I commented automatically, not bothering to look over my shoulder when I heard the door click open and shut behind whoever just walked into my room. "now where did I put those shorts" I muttered to myself while reaching into deeper into my duffle.

"Well hello to you too ~" a voice I recognized all too well greeted my underwear. "You weren't kidding when you said that I would be blinded. Those are bright, but I must admit that the big "Hello There" on your ass is pretty attention grabbing." Ikuto continued while leaning against the door and watching me pull a few things out of my duffle.

"Hardy Har Har…" I remarked sarcastically while yanking on my white shorts and a yellow tank top that I felt sorry for, "who knew the captain could be so funny!" I continued while sneakily sniffing myself to make sure I smelled alright. I smelled perfectly fine, now to just do something about my hair… Next thing I know a towel is hanging from my face.

"You are very unattractive you know that Amu?" Ikuto joked while watching me rub the towel through my hair, "and obviously very bad at drying your own hair, come here." He continued while shaking his head in a playful manner.

"Well even so you're still dating me no?" I commented while walking over slowly, trying not to run into something. I stopped a few inches from him and stuck my tongue out at him at his last comment, "I do so know how to dry my own hair thanks." I pouted silently to myself while he dried my hair for me. I sighed when he was done and was close to turning away to run a brush through it when he caught my face and kissed me quickly.

"Calm down Beauty just teasing you." With that, Ikuto kissed my nose and released my face and shooed me go to get my brush. I couldn't help but hesitate, I wanted to kiss him again, screw Utau~ Ikuto was mine now! Before I could make up my mind my door flew open sending Ikuto flying in my direction and knocking us both to the ground, him on top of me.

"I'm Coming in…Woah what are you two up to?" Gale said with sarcasm, and I could tell just by the tone of his voice he was smiling to the tips of his ears. "Did I interrupt something, cause I can always come back later…or stay and watch whatever you prefer."

"Not funny Gale…" I practically growled while sitting up after Ikuto got off of me and gave him a glare, "Sides you could have announced that you were coming in BEFORE you opened the door…" That just got a shrug from Gale and a sigh from Ikuto.

"And what fun would that be? I almost missed something..interesting." Gale continued while winking at me.

"To bad you weren't really missing anything." Ikuto replied while catching Gale by the shoulder, spinning him around so he faced the door and giving him a shove sending him sailing into the hallway. "Let's go talk in my office," Ikuto mumbled obviously not happy before turning back to me with a smile, "I think Jason's going to need a little company for a while, since it seems Gale here has some important news to tell me."

"Awww we can't bring Amu with us? I don't like talking to just you…you're boring." Gale jokingly whined while being dragged down the hallway.

"No we can't."

"Fine..Talk to you later Beauty!" Gale yelled back at me before disappearing around a corner. I couldn't hold in my laughter anymore, I burst into it, my eyes tearing. I did love Gale, he was like…an older brother to me and always think of ways to make me smile. I stopped laughing after a while and started down the corridor to the Carpenters cabin expecting to find Jason grumbling over the work Gale left for him or complaining that he's not respected enough. Once to the door I knocked once and peered inside and found no one inside.

Shrugging it off I started heading toward the kitchen I mean, if he wasn't in the carpenters cabin then he would probably be harassing Lulu in the kitchen or…just know the possibilities are endless when it comes to Jason, that boy would rather be in any other part of the ship as long as it means he doesn't have to go to the carpenters cabin and actually do work.

So I started checking every room after realizing that not only Jason, but every other crew member and new and started to love was nowhere to be found, it was starting to make me a little anxious. "Where the hell could everyone disappear to in such a short amount of time?" I grumbled while opening one of the doors to a tiny supply closet, "Well that was just stupid of me to try." I sighed and ran my fingers through my still wet hair. Where else could a hell of a lot of people fit without being noticed? Turning around and heading back toward the front of the ship I decided it would be best if I checked in the Capitan's quarters.

"What's the hurry?" Akira suddenly coming into view asked, giving me a heart attack and almost making me make a very large puddle on the floor under me, "I needed to ask your advise on something," he continued while steering me away from the direction I was heading and straight back to my room.

"Uh ok? But where's everyone, is there some sort of special occasion or something?" I asked looking over my shoulder and sighing when we finally reached my door.

"About what I had to ask," Akira continued totally blowing off my question, I had an urge to hit him and ask again but I thought better of it and waited patiently for him to continue, "So when's your birthday beauty?" that shocked me I had completely forgotten about that myself.

"Ah September 24th," I answered automatically before I realized what day it was, "It's today..." I answered quietly. I'd completely forgotten about my birthday, and everything I did on my birthday with friends and my family.

"What's wrong Amu? You look sad, isn't it supposed to be a happy day?"

"Ah nothing sorry I was just thinking" I answered while turning to lean against my door for support. To think if I was home, I would wake up to everyone singing happy birthday and a cookie cake would be sitting on the bed next to me. "How trivial," I muttered to myself, "Missing a cake of all things." I noticed Akira look over my shoulder and smile, before turning be around and pushing me back up the corridor toward the captains quarters.

"Looks like the captain wants to talk to you know Beauty." Akira said and laughed to himself.

"Oh hell what did I do this time?" I groaned while pushing all my earlier sadness back and blushing a bit when my stomach growled, "You didn't hear that."

"Right," he laughed while opening the door for me and holding it open and motioning for me to head in. I stopped dead in my tracks.

"What's going on?" I asked staring at everyone seated in the captain's cabin smiling at me widely.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEAUTY" everyone shouted at once and I stepped inside and was instantly stopped by Auburn who put a fake little silver tiara on my head.

"I've had that for as long as I can remember, and to be honest I don't remember bringing on this ship with me but I found it this morning while digging through all my junk, anyway...It fits the occasion." Auburn said while hugging me lightly and taking my hand, dragging me deeper into the room.

"If you're wondering whose idea it was," Jason said while hanging his arm over my shoulders, "was me of course!"

"Don't listen to that idiot," Lulu interrupted while shoving him away from me, then hugging me lightly, "of course it was Ikuto, and happy 19th birthday Beau- Amu!" I notice her catch herself and actually say my real name.

"I….can't believe…why?" I managed to choke out while hugging Yoru.

"Well because lover boy over here," Yoru started while gesturing to Ikuto leaning against his desk, "noticed how..Glum you've kind of been after you realized that Utau was going to murder you, so he thought a surprise party for your birthday present would make you smile." He pinched my nose and laughed when I blushed a bit and smiled, "and it looks like he was right." After Yoru finally let me go, I was ambushed my Miki who practically threw herself at me.

"Happy birthday Amu!" she said while hugging me tightly, "you have to let me give you your present before you leave." Miki continued while letting go of me and disappearing back into the crowd of people.

"I'm glad it made you happy," I turned to find Ikuto smiling at me and walked over to him, "I was wondering why you let Utau you get to you so badly."

"Oh shuddup and wish me a happy birthday," I muttered jokingly while hugging him and looking up at him with a smug look on my face.

"I would but that smug look is kind of making me not want too," Ikuto teased back, wrapping one of his arms around my waist and tilting my head up with his free hand, "so what's with the smug look?"

"Oh I don't know, I just think I know what my birthday present from you is going to be," I replied while sticking my tongue out at him, "So I'm waiting!"

"Pushy today aren't you?" he muttered before leaning over and kissing me lightly. "Happy Birthday Amu."

"Thankyou!" I said with a smile, "Sides I have a right to be pushy today," I joked while pointing at my Tiara, "I am a princess today after all."

"You a princess?" I shot him a dirty look, "Has hell frozen over or something?"

"Hardy Har Har," I replied sarcastically again.

"You love birds done over there or are you going to hog her all night Ikuto?" Gale shouted at us from the other side of the room, "Just asking cause you know I might want a hug from the birthday lady myself!"

"Not to mention we still have stuff to give her," Miki added in while crossing her arms over her chest, pretending to be annoyed with us.

"Fine I guess I'll share her!" Ikuto teased while letting go of me and pushing be in the direction everyone else was, while whispering in my ear, "Let's go see what these needy bunch of people want with you huh?"

"Fine with me," I replied while catching the Tiara before it managed to fall off of my head, "I only have one question though….where my cookie cake?" that got a laugh from everyone.