Ikuto might seem a little OC here... But whatever it was a cute speech ^.^ BTW, if the conversation gets a little out of context, I would go back and skim chapter 2.

Disclaimer: I don't own Shugo Chara

I wake up in a position that I am extremely unfamiliar with.

Ikuto is still beside me, I am burrowed in his embrace, completely swallowed by his broad shoulders. The rise and fall of his chest distracts me and I look up, grinning. As I expect, Ikuto is still fast asleep.

I tug on a lock of his hair and he barely even stirs. I tug harder. This time, he mumbles something low and intelligible, but other than that, still no reaction.

I pinch his arm, and finally, he wakes with a start. "Ow!" He looks around, trying to get a bearing of his surroundings, sees me, and falls back with a groan, "Why do you insist on torturing me?"

"I'm not torturing you. I need to go to the bathroom, let go."

"You couldn't just tell me?" Ikuto moves his arms and I crawl out of bed.

When I come back out, Ikuto has already gotten up and is pulling his clothes on.

"You're leaving?"

"Yeah." I just stand there, watching him. "Ikuto?"

"Hm?"

"What are we?"

"What?" He looks up at me.

"Well, I'd say our relationship has gone past the boss- employee stage. You're not my boyfriend, with one of us always leaving in the morning," I sit down next to him on the bed, "Am I just another one night stand?"

"No, considering we've slept together twice now-"

"Ikuto." Of course. I don't know what I was expecting, but this should've been it. As if he would actually feel something for me. "You know what, forget it. You can go. And... sorry, but I'd rather you didn't come back." I start to get up before he catches my wrist.

"Wait..." Ikuto pulls me back down next to him. He looks apologetic. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have joked about that. I... It's just that I've never done this before."

"What? Have a one night stand with a girl? Somehow I doubt that." I say bitterly.

"No, I meant..." He meets my eyes for a second, and looks away quickly. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he looked nervous. "I meant liking someone. Really liking someone."

I can't breathe. I've forgotten how. Did he really say what I thought he did? I'm feeling the sensation I did when I was drowning back at the XS Nightclub. This isn't really happening. I'm dreaming...

Ikuto looks at me again, and when I don't react, he begins to fidget, rubbing his hands on his pants frigidly. "You... I don't know what to do around you. This is new to me and I'm trying to do the right things but... It's so hard when you're so close." Once again, he peeks to see my reaction, I wonder if I look as shocked as I feel. "Could... could you say something?" He asks uneasily.

He wants me to say something... "Do you want a relationship?"

"No!" He says sharply. That answers that question. I start to get up again.

"Fuck... wait!" Once, again, I'm pulled down. This time, his fingers linger at my hand. "Stop doing that. Give me some time to think."

I wait. "Well?"

"I-" Ikuto runs an angry hand impatiently through his hair, "I don't know. Just not... I don't know if a serious relationship is..." He trails off but I don't need him to finish. Not a serious relationship, means an artificial one filled only with lust.

"But I don't want you to go either." I turn to really look him for the first time since the beginning of the conversation. "And I really don't want to see you with anyone else..." His features twist, "Could we...maybe... slow down?"

Quite frankly, that was the last thing I thought he'd suggest. "You realize to normal people, that means to slow down the physical stuff and get to know each other, right?"

Ikuto's eyes widen, "Oh..." I almost laugh, of course he didn't realize.

But surprisingly, he swallows and says boldly, "If that's what it takes." Wow, impressive.

"You mean that?" My lips twitch.

"Yeah. I do want to get to know you. I... uh... we don't have to sex."

This time, I can't hold back the laughter. "Oh, Ikuto..." I shake my head, still snickering.

He looks at me sheepishly.

I smirk and raise an eyebrow at him, "You can honestly have a relationship with someone without getting physical? You? Ikuto Tsukiyomi?"

"Yeah." He looks almost offended, "Why not?"

"So, you wouldn't retract that statement even if I said I might be ok with us having sex?"

"Really? I mean..." Ikuto trails off, embarrassed again.

I grin. How does anyone not fall in love with him? "How about we just let the chips fall where they may and deal with things as they come?"

Ikuto nods, relieved, "That sounds good. So, you're ok? With me?"

I laugh, "Yes Ikuto, I'm ok with you." He grins, "Good."

I lean onto his shoulder, "So, are you still leaving?"

"Not if you don't want me to."

"I could make us breakfast."

"No, I'm fine." We both look down when we hear his stomach gurgling.

"I have eggs."

"That would be great."

Ikuto is absently flipping through the paper. I grin, he's sitting where I always imagined, but one detail...

"How do you take your eggs?"

"Sunny side up, thanks."

"Are you sure you don't want poached?"

"Nah, not in the mood for poached."

"Not even a little?"

"Not at all."

"You sure?"

"I am."

"...Absolutely positive?"

Ikuto stares at me, "Are you negotiating my breakfast?"

"No, no. Of course not." I turn back to the stove, blushing. Damn. Oh, well. Two out of three isn't bad.

I set Ikuto's plate down in front of him. "Thanks." He takes a bite.

"How is it?"

"Not bad."

"Really?" I hedge him on.

"Maybe a little salty..." Ikuto takes a sip of milk.

I beam at him. And he smile back hesitantly, confused. I added extra salt to his eggs.

So maybe that's a little excessive, but anything to complete my vision.

A few into eating, he hear someone knocking at my door. "Amu, are you home?"

I stop, "That's my parents..."

Ikuto almost drops his fork, "Your parents?" He chokes out, "They're at the door?"

"Uh huh."

"Can I hide in the pantry or something?"

I glare, "Why would you do that?"

Ikuto looks like a child who was just caught with a hand in the cookie jar, "I don't do the meeting the parents thing."

"Well, you're going to have to stay, they'll notice the extra plate."

I think I hear Ikuto gulping as I walk to the door. I roll my eyes, meeting my parents can't possibly be that nerve wrecking.

I open my front door and my parents amble in, "Hi Amu, we brought you some apples. They were on discount at the grocery store- Oh, you have company."

"Uh, yeah. Mom, dad, this is Ikuto."

"Good morning, Mr. Hinamori, Mrs. Hinamori." Ikuto stands up and extends a hand which my mom shakes warmly. My dad, on the other hand, just stares at it suspiciously. "Isn't it kind of early to have guests?"

"Dad." Jeez... "I'm not in jail, it's not like I have visiting hours."

"Right." My dad accesses Ikuto carefully, "So Ikuto, how did you meet Amu?"

"I-"

"We met at work." I answer for him. Somehow, I doubt that my dad will take kindly to the fact that my boss is in my house so early in the morning.

"That's enough questions, Tsumugu. We'll go, Amu, since you're busy." I smile gratefully at my mom.

"Bye, Amu. Nice meeting you, Ikuto."

"You too. Have a good day."

Ikuto lands back in his chair with a thud the minute the door shuts. "I just died a thousand deaths."

"Oh, come on." I sit across from him, "It wasn't that bad."

"How can your dad hate me already? Didn't you say they let you date whoever you wanted?"

"Ah, that... I might have stretched the truth a tiny bit. My mom definitely trusted me but my dad... wasn't quite as open minded- but!" I continue before Ikuto can argue, "It was an equal prejudice, he hated all of my boyfriends, not just the ones that were a little worse off."

"Well, that's great then. There's nothing I can do to turn the odds in my favor."

"No, there's really not. But that's fine, I mean, it's not like we're going out or anything, right? He doesn't need to like you." I smile at him sweetly.

Ikuto casts me a wilting look, "That's not fair."

I grin and walk over to kiss his cheek, "Life isn't fair. Then you die."

"What an uplifting prospect."

Haha, not quite sure where to go from here... I got a surprising amount of comments asking me to make Ikuto jealous, so believe me, that's going to happen in a few chapters. But for now, tell me what else you want to see happen.