Cayuna: One-shot time!

Amu: Really?

Ikuto: Yeah what about your other stories?

Cayuna: I'll be updating a lot more, cause I'm out of school now…Yay!

Amu: Well, I guess that's good.

Cayuna: Yupp, good enough for Ikuto-Kun to do the caption! *evil smile*

Ikuto: *sigh* Cayuna doesn't own Shugo Chara…I live with such children…

-Loving the Enemy-

It is just the classic case of falling in love with the wrong guy. Or was it?

-Amu POV-

I was having trouble. Simple trouble. Not the kind that threatened lives or heart eggs, no, it's personal trouble.

I've found that my heart and mind are split between two extremes.

Ikuto and Tadase.

The two boys, er…men I should say now, have taken over my mind.

My name is Amu Hinamori, sixteen years old, sophmore in highschool. My image hasn't changed much, I'm still the "cool and spicy" girl, just more toned down now. I still have my would-be selves, Ran, Miki, Sue and Dia, and I've become more like them, doing sports, art, cooking, and being myself I guess.

The guardians are still my friends, Rima, Nade otherwise known as Nagi (figured that out a year ago), Yaya, Kukai, and Kairi (who came back in high school).

When I was younger my "attractions" would be split between Ikuto, Tadase, Kukai, Nagi, and Kairi, but now I've narrowed it down to Ikuto and Tadase.

What do I like about them you say?

Hmm…Well Tadase is nice, sweet, caring, princely. He is a good leader, and takes care of others, although he still has the urge to control them.

Then there's Ikuto. Arrogant, annoying, mysterious, and dark was the side most people saw of him, but when we were alone he showed me a whole different side. Gentle, protective, kind.

When he was with me all my walls just came down, actually there were none there in the first place. I was naturally myself with him. I'm pretty sure it's the same with him.

He was…

"Amu!" Yaya called, breaking me out of my thoughts, "Rima-tan and Yaya are going to get ice cream, you wanna come?"

Hmm…It was pretty hot today, I could already feel the moisture building under my arms.

"Sure Yaya, just let me go change ok?" I said turning to go into the bathroom, while she said.

"OK!"

I caught a glance of myself in the mirror as I exited a stall. I kept my hair a little longer than my shoulder blades, and it had darkened quite a bit, now more of a dark pink rose color. My eyes hadn't changed much; the gold had turned to darker amber, which reminded me of tree sap. It made me chuckle.

I wore a white sundress, simple and plain, with some black gladiator sandals, and I decided to throw my tie in there, for my image.

I exited the bathroom not really satisfied, but it wasn't like it really mattered. It wasn't like I was going to see Tadase or Ikuto.

I must have bad luck, for when I walked to the front gate, Tadase was there to meet me along with Rima, Nagi, and Yaya.

"We got Tadase and Nagi to come get ice cream, isn't that great Amu-chii?"

"Mmm..yeah great." It was all that I could do to keep the sarcasm out of my voice.

As we walked Tadase attempted to talk to me.

"So Hinamori-san, how was your day?" Yes, he still wouldn't call me by name.

"Fine." I replied somewhat bored.

"Is something wrong?"

"Mm…no I just need some time alone to think ok?"

"Alright Hinamori-san." He said and walked away.

I thought about slapping myself, but it would look odd in public. I walked to the stand and ordered a chocolate ice cream. Hmm…Ikuto liked chocolate.

He had come back in the middle of my freshman year, having found his father whom he claimed, "was hiding in plain sight." I remember remarking on how that didn't make logical sense, and all he said was, "exactly" leaving me very confused.

We had gotten pretty close, yet there I was, three years older, and still clueless to the answer to his bet. I still didn't have it!

Was there some kind of way to judge which one I liked better?

I was wrenched out of my thought as Tadase handed me my ice cream, our fingers slightly touching. He blushed…hard. While I on the other hand, felt nothing. I mean really it's an accidental brush of fingers, what's so "touching" about that?

He sat next to me, trying to make small talk, but when I didn't respond he lapsed into silence.

Ikuto…What was it about him that drew me? Was it the "bad boy" spirit he had? No. And it wasn't the mystery either.

He was just, alone. He was always alone. Easter had him, and I wanted to be the one to save him, not Utau. I wanted to be selfish and have him see me as his savior. Even when he worked with Easter I wanted to help him, and he was the "bad guy"!

I wanted to be next to him, close by. To be the only one he dropped his outer character and showed himself, his real self. I looked into my future and with a shock I realized, I didn't see it without him.

The cold drop of melted ice cream hitting my leg shook me out of my reverie once again. Tadase handed me a napkin quietly, and asked,

"Did you get sorted out what you wanted?"

"Huh?"

"Well it seemed you had a breakthrough, by the look on your face."

"Oh." Breakthrough huh?

"Amu, will you walk with me for a minute?" He asked his face hopeful.

I wanted to say no, but I had already been really rude to him, so I nodded.

He led me on a path between the tall trees, majestically swaying.

"Amu," He called me by my first name! Twice! "This is something really important to me, so will you please hear me out?"

I nodded, again my head tilted to the side in confusion.

"I really like you Amu. You're beautiful, especially as Amulet Heart, but I have found myself liking all the parts of you, even if they aren't as amazing as Amulet Heart."

…Seriously…I mean SERIOUSLY? Were we still here? He was still in love with part of me, but now he "liked" all of me? What crap is this? I however didn't voice any of these thoughts aloud, so he continued.

"So Amu, will you be my girlfriend?"

I expected my heart to leap when I heard that, but it sank. This was wrong, all of it. It had to end, and there was only way.

"No, Tadase, we're friends, no more."

He didn't like that, but he walked away, leaving me and my confused mind alone.

I continued on the beautiful trail, my mind in jumbles, and my feet leading me to wherever. When my head ran into a leg, which was hanging from a tree, however, I stopped. The sound of the deep breathing of sleep entered my ears.

Who would fall asleep in a tree?

Then one thought broke through the quagmire of my mind. Ikuto!

Wait…Ikuto…Why was it him? Why had my heart chosen him, the supposed enemy? Because it's right, my heart told my mind, and that emotion welled over in me. The realization struck.

Ikuto…I had chosen Ikuto, rejected Tadase and chosen Ikuto.

Ikuto. Just thinking his name brought a wave of joy through my body, every limb dancing with delight. I love Ikuto.

I needed to tell him! Now!

I tugged on his foot, calling, "Ikuto. Ikuto!"

He answered by pulling his foot up, and just as I thought I would have to climb up there, he swung down, his head mere inches from mine, his knees gripping the branch he had been sleeping on. And then he spoke.

"What's up, strawberry?" His voice flowing through me like pure silk, made even more adorable by the sleepy tint to it.

Everything melted away then. All of my insecurities around others, dropped, as I became my true self, completely natural around him.

"You won." I whispered.

"Mm? What was that? You're going to have to speak up shorty." He frowned when no response came from me.

I was nervous now. What if it wasn't true, what if he didn't actually like me?

"Amu?" He questioned softly, and I saw it in his eyes, the same love I had felt. It gave me courage.

I met his gaze head on and said clearly, "You won."

It took him a moment to decipher what I said, but recognition flashed into his face, as well as a fire into his eyes.

After that it didn't take any time for him to smash his lips against mine, the fire coursing through us both. I couldn't breathe, but I had an instinct that if I separated it would feel as if I couldn't breathe as well. I needed him.

He pulled away, shortly after, abruptly stopping the liquid fire that coursed through us. His eyes were guarded, and careful, he looked at me as if I had broken.

Once again I couldn't breathe, so I pushed my lips against his, and the fire ignited again.

His face was turning red, from hanging upside down for so long, and I couldn't help but giggle, overcome with happiness. He swung off the branch, grabbed me while I was off-guard from laughing, and then we were back in the tree, sitting where he was just sleeping, me on his lap.

After that he just studied me, the need for words lost. We just stared at each other for the longest time, before he broke it by planting another feverish kiss on my lips.

I loved this man, no doubt, but I had to tell him.

I pulled back, nearly gasping as the fire ended once again.

"Ikuto," I said my voice sounding hoarse and rough. "I love you." I whispered into his ear, collapsing against him in complete trust.

His arms wrapped around me keeping me in place. He wasn't going to let me leave, not that I wanted to.

I felt his lips brush my ear, "You have no idea how long I've waited for that, Amu, my love."

His fingertips brushed mine as he went to cup my cheek, and they burst into a firework of feeling. Perhaps small touches weren't as meaningless as I thought. As long as they were with the one you love.

I had found him. My heart had found him. I was completely content as I sat there with his arms around me. I loved the bad guy. And damn, it felt so good.

Cayuna: Wow…that turned a lot more interesting than I thought.

Ikuto: Yeah…wow…

Amu: …I didn't know you were capable of that…

Cayuna: Neither did I…

Ikuto: Well R&R…I guess

Cayuna: Reviews are love~nya