Snapshots

It took a lifetime of loving you to realize loving you is a lifetime. [UY Assorted memories over the years. See the moments that lead up to the pictures. [Em

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Days pass, minutes tick by, but you, you were always there.

(And I have the photographs to prove it.)

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She was pushed up against his door, and he was much too close for comfort. And yet, all too far…

She felt protected, sheltered, and hot in all the right places when he put his arms on either side of her.

"We shouldn't be doing this," she said, breathless from it all.

And they shouldn't.

He gave her that smirk, that patented smile that made all the girls swoon, and paid no mind to her. She was glad. Oh so glad.

But that didn't change anything. It didn't change how wrong it was, how right it felt. It didn't change the fact that she was panting. Nor, did it change the fact he was panting.

Had it really been that much of a work out?

The smirk was growing by the second on his face. And she found it all the more fetching. He leaned in, his lips only a hair's length away from her own. How she yearned for those lips, that mouth… the taste…

And that's when the phone rang.

She felt a little disappointed, and a little relieved, despite herself. She expected him to pull away. Answer the phone. And the fun would be over before it had even really begun.

But he didn't.

He didn't move at all. And, Yumi found she liked this plan much better.

Pulling the phone out of his pocket, he gave a gruff, "Hey, Jeremie." His lips barely touching her own as he grunted out the words. She could feel his breath, mixing with her own…

She could feel every move those lips made as they talked, only a whisper away, tempting her. It seemed like the conversation lasted an eternity. A tantalizing eternity, before the fateful word was uttered;

"Bye."

Before the phone had even properly been stored in his pocket, they were on each other. Lips crashing onto one another in fierce kiss, hands clawing, grabbing handful of hairs, pressing up against each other…

And it felt so good.

He threw her to the bed, and dove on top of her.

His shirt was off before they even hit the bed.

And for a moment, they stayed their, savoring the moment, staring into one another's eyes. And then, in one instant of complete understanding, their lips collided.

And Yumi felt so wonderful all over. It took every ounce of self restraint she had to manage to choke down the moan.

And as he was working on her shirt, the fun was once again put to a difficult test.

The door swung open, revealing one Norwegian with the worst sense of timing.

"Hey guys I got this new-"

Snap.

---

It was just cold enough outside to need a jacket. But she had something much more stylish than any old jacket to keep her warm.

Her boyfriend's arm was currently draped upon her shoulders as they walked around the park.

Strolling was really so peaceful. And peace was a rarity in her life. She loved that he could stop and smell the roses with her…

She smiled slightly as she lifted up the rose he had given her only moments before, sniffing it slightly, hopefully sneakily enough that he wouldn't figure out what she was doing. How she loved the smell of roses…

"Thank you for the rose," she said quietly. She knew she shouldn't have to thank her boyfriend for giving her a rose, but her nature said otherwise.

He smiled at her in a loving manner. And she supposed he liked her manners after all, he claimed it was part of her charm, "Any time."

"Roses are my favorite," she said again, unable to keep her eyes of the beautiful blooming one in her hands. Or really, her nose out of it.

He laughed. Oh, how she loved his laugh. It warmed her from her toes up.

"I know. I like them too."

She sighed, why she hadn't melted into his arms yet was a mystery to her. He was handsome, sweet, caring, brave, all around amazing and he liked roses.

"Who doesn't?"

"Apparently all the other girls like them too," he teased, smiling down at her.

She blushed, not wanting to meet his gaze, "Thanks," she scowled as convincingly as possible. She could never manage to do so too successfully when he was near.

He laughed. Again. Her pain was worth it after all- just to hear his laugh. To see that look he gave her.

It was magic.

It was bliss.

It was love.

"Oh, Yumi, I know you're not like all the other girls. I know exactly why you like roses," he wrapped his arm a little tighter against her as he said it.

She couldn't resist the challenge (and kisses) his words promised, "Oh really now?"

"Really. I know exactly why you like roses. It's because, for one thing, you're a romantic at heart. As much as you pretend to be all tough, you like all that is fuzzy and warm," he teased, while managing to be perfectly serious about it all. She loved that about him. Hell, she loved everything about him. From the way he brushed his teeth, to the way he was always playing hero, to the way he held a glass in his hands. She loved it all.

"Yeah, well, a lot of people do," she retorted, feeling slightly embarrassed.

He made a face, "Yeah, Odd does. He's always playing the sappiest movies in our room."

She quirked an eyebrow, "Well then, I guess I'll have to come to your room more when Odd's there, won't I?"

"Just more in general would be good. Perhaps more when Odd isn't there would be all the better."

She smiled, snuggling a little more into him, "You know that's not the only reason I like roses, right?"

He kissed the top of her head fondly, "Of course not."

And, when they came strolling into the Kadic grounds at eleven that night, they weren't paying attention to anything but each other. Smiles, looks, whispers, stolen kisses, sweet nothings were for them and only for them. They were blissful.

And they were unaware of anything that surrounded them. Even blinding lights attached to a friend dressed in bright purple and pink.

Snap.

---

"Ulrich!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, near tears. How much he frustrated her. How much she hated him.

He glared at her, annoyance shining through his eyes, those eyes she had fell in love with, "I'm right here you know, you don't need to yell."

"I'm not sure you know, you never seem to listen!" she cried out.

"I," he sounded surprised, he looked it too, with his eyes bugging out like that, it was almost… cute- cute, if the situation hadn't been so dire, "I never listen? What have I been talking about for the last five minutes?"

She glared, of course she hadn't been listening to him. She snapped, "Well, it wasn't important."

"How would you know? You weren't even listening!" frustration and anger was clear in his voice, and Yumi couldn't have been more happy about it.

"It's just not," she was near tears now (again)- despite her happiness at his anger. He didn't understand why she was being so emotional. She didn't understand why he couldn't understand. All the signs were there, she was sure. Why couldn't he figure her out?

"And what you're saying is?" He spat out.

What she couldn't say was so much more important that what she could say.

She was crying now, unable to hold back the near-tears that had threatened to fall for so long. So very long.

He looked shock, never in his years had he seen his Yumi go from angry to sad so quickly. Instantly, years of instinct took over, and he inched toward her. Wrapping his arms around her.

He was glad she didn't rebuff him. Hell, he was glad she was crying into his shirt. Soiling it with snot. He found he rather liked the idea, to put in honestly.

He supposed love made stalkers of them all.

"Oh Ulrich!" and for a second there, she sounded so… so… needy, so appreciative of the gesture, he thought this was all over. But then, in the next second, she switched, again, "You… you… jerk!"

He didn't quite understand what was going on with his love, but he decided it was best to keep her in his arms until he got to the bottom of it.

He rubbed her back soothingly, "Yes, yes, I'm a jerk."

"Why won't you get mad?" She asked, pounding her fists against his chest. This would be so much easier if he just got mad.

"Well dear," he said reasonably, sounding amused, even though there was nothing to be amused about with this situation, "I was quite mad until you had to go and start weeping."

"Don't you try to blame this on me Ulrich Stern!" What she wouldn't give to get him angry.

"I wouldn't dream of it," he said, sounding too amused for his own good.

The two were silent for a few moments, before Yumi spoke, all traces of amusement missing from her tone (though, she supposed, he had more than enough amusement for the two of them), "You're a complete jerk, has anyone every told you before?"

"I've heard it once or twice I believe. From you."

"I cannot believe you," she was exasperated. She sounded it too.

He made a noise of agreement.

She pushed away from him, just enough to look up at his face, but not enough to leave the protection his arms provided, "This is all your fault."

He looked at the girl in front of him for a moment in complete bewilderment, "What is that supposed to mean? It's my fault for trying to comfort you?" Though he didn't sound angry, he sure didn't sound amused anymore. Yumi wasn't sure how to feel about it.

"Yes. No. Partially."

He threw his hands up in the air, "I just don't get you right now Yumi."

"You don't get me?" her voice sounded pained, pinched in a rather uncomfortable manner.

Now he was ranting. Now he was angry, "One second, you're sitting there, weeping. Weeping Yumi. Not even crying. Weeping. And why? I don't know. It's not like anything's been too horrible too lately."

"No," she said in a quiet voice, "Nothing too horrible lately."

"See? And then, you go from this weeping to this angry stage. Where you blow up at every little thing I do. Even if I haven't done anything but wash your car for you, or pull out your chair or something! I don't get you."

She blinked back the tears, getting angrier by the moment, "Well maybe if you just listened-"

"Yumi, you've been saying nothing. In fact, I'm surprised you haven't choked on that garbage coming out from your mouth!"

Her eyes widened in surprise, and quickly narrowed with rage, "Maybe, if you just paid more attention in general."

"Don't you pull that one with me now, Yumi," he warned, "You know perfectly well that I pay plenty of attention to you."

"Apparently not, or you'd know exactly why I was doing all of this," she said, turning away from him.

He rolled his eyes behind her back, not quite angry enough to do it in front of her, "Maybe," he said testily, "If you just told me, then I wouldn't have to play this guessing game."

"You really want to know?"

"Yes Yumi. Yes. Do I have to attach a damn billboard to my forehead to get that across to you?"

She turned around, crying now, once again, "I'm pregnant," she screamed at him, tears racing down her face.

Instantly, his eyes grew wide with understanding, and he pulled his crying love into his arms, and proceeded to kiss her senseless. As any man should've done in his place.

Immediately, his child's mother (oh, his child's mother) melted into his embrace, kissing him senseless back. As any woman should've done in her place.

And that's when the door flew open.

"Hey Uncle Ulrich and Aunt Yumi we're here!"

"You… forgot we were coming, didn't you?"

Neither responded, still wrapped up in one another. Wrapped up in kisses, life, love and children.

Snap.

---

Odd smirked at him, trying to bait his friend, "She's right there you know."

He glared at his so called friend, "I know," he said in clipped tones.

"It's like going into a cold pool, you've got to dive in head first and fast, or else you're going to freeze up," he advised.

He put a little more energy into his glare, "That's nothing like this," he said flatly.

Odd simply shrugged, not willing to argue with his friend about such a meaningless metaphor, "Still, you should just go over to her right now and avoid any other dramatic scene that's sure to head your way if you don't."

He glanced at her, no, he couldn't do it quite yet…

"In a little bit," he said, leaning against the tree, "When she comes over here," he added, knowing Yumi would be a full ten minutes chatting with William. He decided to ignore the jealousy that bubbled up with the thought.

"By that time William might have asked her, and she would've settled on him because she thinks you're going too big of a chicken," Odd pointed out, "Though," he mused as an afterthought, "She'd probably be right…"

He chanced another glance at her, ignoring his friend's jib, "No," he said, shaking his head, "She wouldn't do that."

Odd shook his head at his friend, refraining the urge to roll his eyes at his plain stupidity, "Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you."

"I wouldn't dream of it," he retorted dryly.

And for a few moments, there was a blissful silence. But of course, a blissful silence to Ulrich was anything but blissful to Odd.

"Go up and tell her now!" he exclaimed, more than simply frustrated with his friend's ignorance. He had money riding on this thing after all. Not that he'd ever tell Ulrich, he'd like to keep his face the way it was; breathing.

"Odd!" he cried out in annoyance.

Sounding generally confused about the source of his annoyance, Odd asked, "What?"

He rolled his eyes, "I refuse to-"

"Do it now, or I'm going to go tell Sissy you sent a romantic love letter her way. Even though you and I both know that was just Her-"

He grimaced, he could do without all of the heartbreak that would follow that (mainly him and Yumi, because he doubted Sissy had much of a heart to begin with), "Fine. If you're that determined," he muttered.

But instead of bounding over to Yumi like the lovesick puppy dog everyone knew he was, Ulrich jabbed his hands into his pockets, and leaned further against the tree.

Odd stared dubiously at his friend, "What? Why aren't you running off to ask Yumi with your whole 'knight in shining armor' routine? Do you really want Sissy to think you sent her a love letter?"

"Because," he retorted sourly, "I'm not going to go running after- Hey Yumi!" he said, turning a bright red as the girl in question walked up to him.

"Hey Ulrich," she greeted, "Hey Odd." Though Odd could not help but notice how much nicer she said Ulrich's name then his own.

Odd smirked, deciding to let her lack of kindness pass for 'love', "Hey Yumes. I've got to jet, but I know Ulrich here is just dying to ask you something," snickering as he walked away, Odd left his friend with a face redder than a fire truck.

Ulrich dug his hands deeper into his pockets, "Well Yumi I was wondering…"

"If I'd like to go to the dance with you?"

He scowled, his face heating up to what he was sure was economic proportions, "I hate it when you do that, you know."

"I know. That's why I do it," she said with that adorably coy look on her face. How he wished he could just sweep her up and kiss her right now. How she wished he could just sweep her up and kiss her right now.

There was a silence, and too nervous to do anything else, Ulrich attempted to clarify the situation, "So, will you-" After all, his ears must have deceived him. There was no way Yumi would've just… agreed to that. Was there?

She leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek (just when he thought he couldn't turn any redder), "I'd love to."

Snap.

--

"I like it," her friend said enthusiastically, "In fact, I think I have fallen in love with it. And I must now proceed to take several photos to document my love of it."

She looked to the man beside her, he chuckled, "Knock yourself out."

When the other man had gone to 'document his love for this house', the man beside her tilted his head at her.

She looked at it. Scrunched up her nose. Full out scrutinized it and everything it was. No, it wasn't right.

She turned to him and shook her head. It just wasn't right.

She had to give him credit. This had to be, what, the twenty fourth one they had looked at? And still, she had not heard a sigh from him. A single mutter of complaint.

As she entangled his fingers with her own, she supposed that was the benefit to having been with a person since eighth grade.

"What's wrong with this one?"

She shook her head, "I don't know, I'm not getting the right… feeling from it."

"And I'm not getting the right feeling from camping out on a couch every night," he joked.

She glared, "Yes, well, I want our house to be absolutely perfect. I want our little-"

"So you've picked out a name?" he asked eagerly.

She glared at him once more, she wouldn't dare admit it to him the name she had had in mind, "Our little girl or," she added when that eager look once again overtook over his face, "boy."

"You could never throw me a bone," he said, pouting silently.

She shrugged, "Either way, I want our child, or children," when he got that look on his face for what had to be the millionth time that minute alone, "To grow up in the perfect house."

He kissed her temple, "Then we'll keep looking. Even if every realtor in town won't help us."

She laughed, and kissed him back.

Snap.

---

She straightened his tie, "You must behave." She said, not able to stress that point enough to him.

He glared at her in mock annoyance, "I'm not Odd. I know how to behave."

She kissed his nose, and smiled sweetly at him, "I know you know. I just… I just… want to make sure everything goes right tonight."

He kissed her nose back, "It will," he promised.

She looked dubious, "I'm sure…" she trailed off, dusting off his shoulders. As if she hadn't already done it a hundred times.

He kissed her nose again, "It will."

She smiled, even laughed a little bit, "Stop that now, or we'll be late."

He gave her a raised eyebrow.

"Oh," she said, whacking his arm playfully, "Don't you take that look with me. You know exactly what I mean."

He smiled in a rather lovesick fashion, "Yeah. I know." And he kissed her nose again.

An hour or so later, running just a tad late, he managed to successfully pull up to her house.

Odd, she would've thought she'd miss her home more. But, she supposed, she did have something now that she would've never had at home.

Even stranger, she found she had missed the people inside the home. Or, the people currently residing on the front lawn, namely; her brother. Who would've thought that her heart ached for that irritating little nuisance?

She smiled at her little brother lovingly, "Oh Hiroki it's been so long!" Yumi gave her brother a squeeze. How she missed the pesky annoyance.

"Yumi!" he instantly turned red being spotted getting a hug from his sister- in front of his girlfriend no less. And his sister's cool boyfriend.

She giggled as Ulrich clapped him on the back, "You'll get use to it."

"I doubt that," he muttered treacherously, but all the same, hugged his sister back.

"Is that a new camera?" Yumi asked, as she pulled away, admiring it in all of its shininess.

"Being the photographer to Milly's journalist, I've got to have the latest stuff," he said, puffing out his chest.

"Ha!" Ulrich laughed, turning to his girlfriend, "You know Yumi, he really reminds me of Odd."

She scrunched up her nose, "Don't I know it," she murmured, not sounding all too pleased about it.

Hiroki rolled his eyes, "Come on, Mom and Dad are waiting for us inside," he said, gesturing over his shoulder to the house.

"You go ahead without us," Yumi said, turning to face Ulrich, with that tender smile on her face that she had worn since she had met him, "We'll be in in a minute."

Hiroki gave his sister and her boyfriend a look, but nonetheless followed his girlfriend inside. A little hastily, but, he did it. And that's what counted.

"You ready?" he whispered, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.

She lightly touched the diamond on her finger, "Yeah," she said, looking up into his face, with a smile on her face.

He kissed her nose.

Snap.

---

The ringing of the phone woke him up.

He groaned, glancing at the time on the mobile before answering it.

Three am.

"Hey," he heard her voice, and instantly felt a thousand times more awake.

On the bed across from him, Odd groaned at the interruption from his sleeping pattern. After all, normally, a phone call at three am meant wrestling some of the worst XANA attacks they'd every had- without even being fully awake.

"Is it a XANA attack?"

She hesitantly replied after a few moments, "No…"

He relaxed instantly, "Oh. Then what is it?"

This time, there was no hesitation, "I love you."

A few days, even a few hours earlier, he would've bolted upright with a look of complete surprise. A slack jaw expression. Perhaps he would've even fell into a coma from the shock of it all. But now? Now he settled back into his bed, a love sick grin on his face.

"I know," he whispered, not caring if Odd could hear or not, "I love you too."

Snap.