Don't own Code Lyoko.

This is how Ulrich and Yumi get together in my fic, Confident in my Confidant.

This takes place before Ulrich moves out to room with Jeremie.

Pocky

Though everyone criticizes him and jokes with him about it, Odd would not deny that he has gone out with many girls. Each date and girl taught the dreamy blonde more about himself and women until he simply stopped dating. Everyone teased him, saying that there was no way he could be a lady's man if he kept getting slapped like he did.

But there was a reason Odd stopped dating. He had gone out with so many girls that he simply got tired of it. All of the girls he got to know, mixed with his five sisters, had pushed Odd into the world of emotions so disruptive there was no way he could stop them. They tore down his defenses, his arrogance, everything that made him a male and even then they didn't stop. So Odd, curled up on his bed during the winter break of his eighth grade year, did the only thing that could stop them.

He allowed them into his life.

With the dam he had built for those too-strong emotions gone, they flooded his mind, filling his brain with all of the terrible things each girlfriend had said to him, until he found himself in the fetal position and crying silently.

Once he finished, he felt his mind shiver, and thought well this sucks. It didn't take long for him to notice the small difference in him. He was standing like some of his more sassy ex-girlfriends, with his hip jutting out to the side slightly and his fist resting on that hip. He also felt so much more comfortable in his pink shirt that he simply took off his outer shirt and laid on the bed.

He now knew what was wrong. He had been surrounded with so many tumultuous emotions for so long that his mind adapted to be like them. He had essentially just been feminized.

The mere thought of going out with some random girl made Odd cringe a little and whimper. He didn't want to date anyone; he wanted to date the one.

The blonde paused, and groaned softly. He sounded like a freaking girl. No one was allowed to know he thought like this. No one. Luckily, no one ever did, but Odd used this new knowledge to help his friends. One day, the knowledge, coupled with his dating of so many girls, actually helped Ulrich and Yumi cross that last hurdle to becoming a couple. It happened after Xana had been shut down.

Odd was just lying on his bed one day and, since it was a weekend, hadn't been planning on moving for some time. But a pillow colliding with his head shattered such fanciful thoughts. The blonde groaned and sat up, rubbing his eyes and glaring at Ulrich. The brunette didn't burst into flames at the sight of the glare, which only depressed Odd more as he realized this really wasn't a dream and his evil roommate really did wake him up.

"What do ya want?" he snapped. "I had been hopin' to sleep a little longer and not even your face is nice enough to compensate for ruining such hopes."

The uncaring façade Ulrich had constructed fell at this question, and he blushed and stared at his feet. "You know about Japanese culture and stuff, right?"

"Yeah," Odd grunted as he stood up and stretched, pausing afterwards to cover the still sleeping Kiwi with the blanket (just because his roommate was evil enough to wake him up didn't mean he would do such a thing to his diggety dog). "I once did a few reports on Japan at my old school and dated a few Japanese girls who appreciated me wanting to know more about their people."

"Well…is there a snack or something that's popular in Japan but not so much here in France? I want to get Yumi something that she can't get as easily here at Kadic."

Odd paused and thought about that. So, Ulrich wanted to get something for his gal, huh? Odd thought it over as he put on his usual outfit and slipped a pendent he made recently over his head. Japanese snack, huh…what was that snack Asuka had liked?

Oh, yeah.

The blonde coughed to cover his snicker and faced Ulrich. "I know exactly what you should get her," he said, "but don't worry about it. I know someone who can get it for you really quickly. Yumi will absolutely love it."

Ulrich blushed and grinned at his friend. "Really? That's great! Thanks, Odd; I'll owe you one."

"Of course you will, Ulrich. Now, you go meet up with our friends, I have to go do some make-up tests from that day when I got stuck on that flag pole. Later!" The blonde jogged off, and Ulrich stared at his back for a second before shaking his head.

"I hope Odd's right," he mumbled, before blushing. "I hope Yumi likes it, whatever it is."

Odd walked over to one of the younger boys' rooms and knocked. "Itsuki, it's Odd! Can I come in?"

The other side was quiet, but the door was opened immediately. A small boy appeared, and smiled at the blonde. "Hi, Odd. Yes, you can come in."

Odd followed the younger student, and eyed him. Itsuki was a transfer student from Japan, and had been getting off on the wrong foot with some of the taller kids because he had trouble understanding the idioms and slang they used. He had black hair that was tied in a small ponytail and looked at the world with innocent dark brown eyes.

Odd have saved him by finding the older kids about to beat the younger up and explained to them why he sounded unusual to them. Since the blonde was well-liked by many people at the school, the bigger kids backed off and left. Ever since then, Odd would offer to help the young Japanese boy understand terms and the way people were speaking. If the boy was simply tired of speaking in this, in his words, "backwards language", Odd would converse with the boy in his native tongue. The younger student enjoyed these moments the most and looked at Odd as his "niisan".

"Odd-niisan, is there something you needed?" Odd snapped out of his thoughts and smiled at the boy.

"Hai; do you think you can ask your parents to send something over for me with your next care package?"

The boy nodded and flipped open his phone. "Of course I can; one moment."

Odd grinned and made himself comfortable on the floor.

A few days passed, and Ulrich was about to ask Odd where the treat was when the blonde's phone went off. Odd answered it and talked to the person for a moment before closing the phone. "Your treats are in," the blonde grinned, and the two made their way to the younger students' quarters. When they got to a certain door, Odd knocked before simply walking in.

Ulrich trailed after him and saw a small boy beam up at Odd and give him a bunch of boxes before saying something to him. The older student laughed and said something back to the smaller student then rested his hand on the other's head. They continued to talk until the younger boy caught sight of Ulrich. He immediately stopped and stared at the taller brunette, his eyes wide and nervous, before whispering something to Odd.

The blonde automatically said something back and the junior student relaxed a little before hesitantly approaching Ulrich. "H-hello," the boy stuttered, "my name is…Itsuki Takanawa. N-nice to meet you."

Ulrich tried to smile softly back, but it didn't seem to work. "It's nice to meet you as well. I'm Ulrich, Odd's friend."

Itsuki nodded back, then retreated back to Odd's side. They spoke a little longer then Odd patted his head one more time and left, Ulrich trailing behind him. They walked in relative silence until Ulrich broke the calm air between them. "So, what are those?"

Odd looked at the boxes and grinned. "Those are your treats," he said. "They're called pocky, and are really popular in most Asian nations."

Ulrich nodded. "That's cool. Do they have a flavor?"

"Yep. The one I'm giving you is chocolate flavored. But, just so you know, Ulrich, these are best to share between the two of you. Just saying."

Ulrich gave his friend an odd look, but ignored him.

That day at lunch the five were just talking when Ulrich remembered the pocky and pulled it out. "Um, Yumi…I got this for you, and I thought we could share it?"

Yumi saw what it was and blushed fiercely. "Um…sure…thanks, Ulrich!"

The boy smiled and put half of one of the biscuit sticks in his mouth and offered the box to Yumi. She hesitated, eyeing the box then eyeing Ulrich, before letting out a sigh and steeling her nerves.

Before Ulrich could ask her what was wrong, Yumi leaned over and ate the other half of the pocky still in Ulrich's mouth, effectively sealing their lips together. The brunette's eyes widened but Yumi kept hers firmly closed, opening them only after she had bitten off the other half of the pocky and retreated.

Ulrich stared at her and looked as if his face was trying to set itself on fire. The two love birds eyed each other shyly for a moment, before leaning over to kiss again. Odd grinned and took pictures with his phone, and Aelita looked at the kissing couple before shooting Odd a confused look.

"What was that food that Ulrich was eating when Yumi kissed him?"

Odd smiled back at her. "It was pocky. It's a treat that was made in Japan, and couples can eat it together, each one starting on the other side and eating it until their lips meet. Yumi and Ulrich did that, just in a really fast way."

Aelita giggled and looked at her boyfriend. "Can we do that too, Jeremie?"

The boy in question blushed and looked away. "Sorry Aelita, I don't have any pocky."

"That's alright." The two turned to face Odd, who tossed the other blonde a small box. "I got an extra just in case. That one's strawberry flavored." He finished the sentence with a wink, and Jeremie glared at him before blushing and looking at Aelita nervously.

I'm going to have to thank Itsuki again later Odd thought, leaning back and staring at the ceiling. Even if they kill me later, the pictures I got from it are so worth it.

For those that are curious: yes, I was inspired to write this when I was eating pocky.

I love writing one-shots, too bad I write chapter-stories more often than not.

Oh Odd; playing matchmaker and taking names.

Itsuki may play a part in CimC, I don't like to make too many OCs if I can just use many who form their little fun-loving gang with Odd as their ring-leader.

Please review.

Ja ne!