Aelita sat cross-legged on Jeremie's bed, watching the young genius type away, code after code. Aelita loved being around him, even if he wasn't paying attention to her. He just seemed to exude a kind of loving warmth that Aelita couldn't stand to be away from for too long. She thought of how wonderful it felt when Jeremie held her, how secure she felt in his embrace, as if she was immune to any harm the cold and scary world outside his dorm might throw at her. As she luxuriated in the joy of these thoughts, a question that she had been meaning to ask Jeremie reentered her mind.
"Jeremie?" she asked softly.
"Yes, Aelita?" Jeremie responded, completely forgetting the codes he had been so fascinated with just a moment before.
"I wanted to ask you something."
"Of course, you can ask me anything."
Aelita blushed slightly, and said, "well… when I was alone on Lyoko… those endless nights… I would think about you a lot." Aelita's blush deepened to match her hair.
"Well… um… I thought about you too, Aelita. I… I still do," the blond stammered, rivaling Aelita's rosy complexion.
"And sometimes," she continued, "I would search the web for the things couples did when they were in love… and I would fantasize about doing those things with you."
Both teens were now sporting an impressive shade of crimson. Despite the butterflies in her stomach, Aelita asked the question that had been on her mind.
"Well… I understood most of the things I read, but there was one thing I still am not really sure about."
"Oh?" Jeremie asked, trying to keep the nervousness out of his voice, "And what was that?"
Aelita looked innocently at Jeremie and asked, "What's cuddling?"
Jeremie's small smile broke out into a huge grin.
"Well," he began, letting instinct take over, "I could tell you, but I think we both might enjoy it more if I showed you."
Aelita grinned, eyes sparking, and nodded. Jeremie proceeded to save his work and shut down his computer. Taking off his glasses, he walked over his bed and sat down next to the love of his life, putting his arm around her, holding her tightly. Aelita rested her head on his chest and Jeremie began to run his fingers through her silky pink hair.
"Mmmmmmmm," Aelita purred with joy.
After a few silent but oh-so-wonderful moments, Aelita spoke.
"Jeremie?"
"Yes, my angel?"
"I like cuddling," she said simply.
Jeremie believed that if that moment had been any more beautiful, his heart would have burst with joy.
"I like it too," he replied, kissing the top of her head and breathing in the intoxicating scent of her lavender shampoo.
Safe and secure in the arms of the one she loved so dearly, Aelita began to feel her eyelids grow heavy, and felt herself drifting off into peaceful slumber. Before she let sleep claim her, though, she whispered softly to Jeremie:
"I love you."
"I love you too, Aelita." He whispered back, finding it hard to stay awake when he was so perfectly comfortable.
And with those kind words, the happy couple cuddled together all through the night, and Aelita didn't have to fantasize anymore.