Some Code Lyoko fanfiction.
Originally written: 2011
"Jeremie! Watching you and Aelita attempt to get together is painful," exclaimed an exasperated Ulrich. The two boys were in Jeremie's room after the day's classes. During the walk back to the dorms, Aelita had tried to show her affection by holding Jeremie's hand. Predictably, Jeremie turned a bright shade of pink and broke away out of surprise and shyness. "All you two ever do is blush when one of you makes even the slightest advancement."
"Hmph! You're no better with Yumi," retorted the blonde. Ulrich looked away, slightly embarassed. After a couple minutes of silence, Jeremie spoke up. "By the way, do you know where Odd is? I know Aelita left after that... um... incident... to go speak with a teacher about a project."
"Odd? No idea. He said that he was going to go collect some money that he won from a bet right after class." An idea struck Ulrich at that moment like a Krab's laser beam. "Hey! I've got it!" Jeremie looked up at his companion curiously. "Let's make a bet. Because we are both so awful at charming the girls, let's see who can do it first. The loser has to offer the winner something. That way, we'll both try really hard, abandon our shyness and hopefully both end up with the girls."
Jeremie thought about if for a minute. "Hmmm, I do think that it is a good way for us to overcome our cowardice, but I don't think that it's right to make a bet over something like this."
"Come on, you know you want to. Do it for Aelita."
"Well, I don't think that Aelita would appreciate it. Plus, I can't think of one thing that I want from you."
"Umm, well..." Ulrich hadn't considered this. There must have been something that Jeremie wanted that he could give. "How about I teach you how to fight, since you were always defenseless against XANA's specters." Ulrich said the last part while smirking.
Jeremie looked peeved. "Um, incase you didn't know, we beat XANA two months ago. It was kind of a big deal, we all agreed to shut down the supercomputer, maybe you remember?" his voice dripping with sarcasm. "How about if I win then you have to declare your love for Yumi in public. That way, we both get what we want."
Ulrich was stunned at Jeremie's suggestion, even he himself didn't think of something as embarrassing as that. "Yeah, we'll both be happy, if Yumi doesn't reject me in public." The brunette seemed dejected.
"Come on, you know that won't happen. Do it for Yumi." Now the tables were turned, Jeremie was convincing Ulrich to go along with their little bet.
"Ok, but if I win then you have to declare your love for Aelita in public. That way it's fair."
"Alright, deal." The two boys shook hands just as Odd barreled into the room.
"Yes! Who's the man? That's right, it's... Hey, what were you two doing?" Odd stopped waving the 40 euros that he won to notice that Jeremie and Ulrich had just finished their handshake.
"Oh nothing," Jeremie stated.
"Come on," Odd pleaded. "Ulrich, you're my best friend and roommate, you've got to tell me."
"I wouldn't tell you even if you gave me those 40 euros." Ulrich looked strangely pleased that Odd was kept out of the loop.
"Fine! You two are no fun. I'm going to hang out with the girls." With that, Odd stormed out of the room. As soon as he left, Jeremie got up from his chair at the computer and stretched.
"And remember, you have to try your hardest. Otherwise Yumi's going to be in for a big surprise," Jeremie smirked.
"The same goes for you too," Ulrich returned the smirk and headed out of the room. Little did the two boys know that across the campus, Yumi and Aelita were plotting something similar.
A couple of minutes ago, Aelita had tried to show her affection to Jeremie by holding his hand. When he broke away out of surprise, she felt slightly sad. Normally, she would have found his shyness cute and enjoyed the resulting blush that flooded his cheeks. But this time, she wanted more. She made an excuse to go see a teacher about a project and left Jeremie and Ulrich to find Yumi. She found the Japanese girl sitting on a bench and walked up to her.
"Hey Aelita. What's up? Why do you look sad? Was it something to do with one of your classes?"
"No, it was Jeremie."
Yumi nodded in understanding. "So did he fail to return your signs of affection?"
"Yeah..." Aelita looked down at her shoes.
"Don't worry I'm sure he's completely smitten with you and he's just too timid to do anything."
Aelita nodded. Wanting to talk in private she asked, "Can we go to my room and talk about it there?" Yumi got up and the two girls headed for the dorms.
After closing the door, Yumi turned to her friend who was sitting on her bed. Yumi took a chair from Aelita's desk and motioned for her to continue where she left off.
"I just really want to tell Jeremie how I feel but I can't bring myself to do it. And when I do make advances, he gets embarrassed."
Yumi opened her mouth to speak but couldn't come up with anything besides a, "I'm sure it will work out." She mentally slapped herself for coming up with something so lame to say.
"Yumi, how do you do it?" the pink-haired girl asked. "You and Ulrich don't have this kind of problem."
"Uhhhh, in case you haven't noticed, Ulrich and I are not much better in the romance department."
"It can't be much worse that Jeremie and me." Aelita offered.
"Yes... it can," Yumi stated as she thought back to the time she asked Ulrich to let them be "good friends". The two girls pondered their respective troubles before Yumi spoke up. "I know! Let's make a bet to see who can claim her man first." Aelita cocked an eyebrow at the suggestion. "And to make it even more interesting," Yumi added, "the loser has to declare her love for... Odd! In public!"
"What! Bu-but I don't love Odd." Aelita could not believe what Yumi had just said. She could maybe declare her love for Jeremie, but Odd?
"The loser will have to improvise. Plus it's good motivation and will be extremely funny." Yumi chuckled at the thought.
"Couldn't you think of something else?" Aelita asked.
"Do you want to make out with Odd instead? You already have once."
Aelita reeled at the thought of kissing that boy a second time. "Alright, but I won't lose."
"Glad to hear your determination," Yumi stated as she extended her hand to shake on the deal that they made.
Just then, Odd slammed open the door to Aelita's room. "Speak of the devil," Yumi whispered.
Odd noticed the two girls were sitting facing each other and asked, "Hmm, what were you two doing?" He remembered that Jeremie and Ulrich were in a similar position.
"We... made a bet..." Aelita trailed off.
"Really? So did I!" Odd exclaimed while digging in his pockets for the money he won earlier. "See, I got 40 euros out of it. What was your bet about?"
"Sorry, but we can't tell you." Yumi crossed her arms over her chest as she said it.
"Oh come on, not this again," Odd said exasperated. "Aelitaaaaaa, I showed you mine," Odd whined, waving the money a bit. "Now you have to show me yours." The boy winked as he said his last statement.
Aelita flushed a bright pink that matched her hair. "Odd! Get you head out of the gutter." Then she added, "Plus, that's reserved for only Jeremie." A smile widened on Yumi's face.
"Oooh, I'm sure Jeremie would like that," Odd snickered.
"Get out!" Aelita threw a pillow at Odd's face. He ducked as the pillow soared over his head and fled the room cackling.
"Nice one Aelita." Yumi placed a hand on the pinkette's shoulder and glanced down at her. "If you win, Jeremie might actually get to see that."
"Yumi!" Aelita swatted at her friend with the extra pillow on her bed. Her cheeks, that were just beginning to recover from Odd gibe, grew hot again. Yumi laughed and ran out of the room before her attacker could get another pillow strike in. Aelita, satisfied with her revenge, closed the door and lay back on her bed, thinking of ways to charm her favorite blue-eyed boy.