Lying weak in a bed, poor Ascot covered himself in soft blue bed sheets resembling a warmth similar to the girl who owned it. Never before has he fallen this sick and felt so weak. Wet garments hanged against a chair near by. A large black hat soaked and drained of its liveliness dwelled on a ledge near a sun warming window. Dressed in suitable temporary clothes, Ascot adjusted to the used clothes loaned by Hikaru's older brothers. The foreign dwellings astonished the boy has he tired his best to make an imprint in his memories.
"I see you are finally awake," a heavenly voice smiled entering the room.
"Uh, Umi," Ascot replied sitting up on the bed.
Used to hearing the commotion of company across the hallway, when Umi softly walked in, it surprised the boy expecting a huge clatter from Hikaru and her brother's chasing her through the house. In her delicate hands, Umi prepared a tray especially for her little sick patient.
"Where are the others?" Ascot asked sensing the stillness of the house.
"They left. Hikaru wanted to show Lantis around and Fuu had her own ideas with Ferio," Umi answered setting the tray on the lap of her patient while placing a hand on Ascot's forehead.
"Thanks."
"No problem. It feels like your fever has gone down. Next time you should take better care of yourself so you wouldn't get this sick. You kind of had me worried there when you passed out."
"You shouldn't worry about me. I can take care of myself." ::coughs::
"Sure. You took good care of yourself when you fell in the water."
"That wasn't my fault. I was pushed."
***
Three best friends sat in the winter still park admiring the fall of the first snowflakes of the winter. Shivering from the cold, Hikaru extended her coat hoping to give Umi some extra warmth. Blessed with the warmth of her three friends, Umi smiled sharing a fresh batch of cookies she baked before their outing.
"Are we just going to sit here all day? I'm freezing cold!" Umi complained shivering inside Hikaru's coat.
"Umi," Hikaru sighed.
"Hey, I got an idea. Why don't we just go to my place and enjoy a nice warm cup of hot chocolate?" Umi suggested trying to convince her friends to leave the chilly park. "Most people wouldn't dare to sit out in the cold."
"It is quiet cold and if we stay out here long enough we might befallen ill," Fuu pondered looking into Umi's reason.
"But isn't it nice to feel the fresh air brush against your face? In Cephiro, it was so pretty and the air was so clear. I would rather spend a whole day in Cephiro than in this stuffy place," Hikaru said reflecting back on the wonderful memories.
"I bet that's not the only thing you miss," Umi teased gently elbowing her friend in the side.
"Umi, I don't know what you mean," Hikaru denied.
"Oh, I think you know, a boy, and his name is Lantis."
"Well, uh, of course I miss him," Hikaru blushed as deep as her red hair.
"Fuu, you are awfully quiet. By any chance would you be thinking about Cephiro also?" Umi asked with a sly grin across her face.
"If you are hinting about Ferio, the answer is yes I miss him also," Fuu answered predicting the question her friend was about to ask.
"Aw, I miss you too, Fuu," a familiar voice called out in the wind.
Spinning around from their seats, the three girls wanted to make sure that none of them was dreaming. Standing on the white covered floor was the handsome prince Fuu was missing. Unable to believe he was actually there, the girls blinked and rubbed their eyes in doubt. He smiled and took a seat next to the wind knight.
"So what is this white stuff on the ground?" Ferio asked picking up a handful of the wet sand.
"It's snow," Umi answered still doubting his presence.
"Ferio, how did you get here?" Hikaru asked with a hint of hope that he brought somebody along with him.
"Simple. We just wished hard enough and Clef granted us our simple wish," Ferio answered grinning from the hints left in his answer.
"We?" Fuu asked looking behind her back to discover nobody standing behind them.
"I'm not the only one who has been missing the magic knights. Boy, it's really cold."
"You can share some of my jacket," Fuu smiled snuggling close to her love.
"But wouldn't you be cold?"
"I'm used to it unlike you would never experienced snow before."
"Ferio, who else did you bring?" Hikaru asked excitedly.
"Oh, let's see. I brought him and somebody who has been wanting to see you, Umi," Ferio answered still giving answers in hints.
Two strong hands touched Hikaru's shoulders sending a warm feeling throughout her whole boy. Looking up at the person who just touched her, Hikaru's eyes lit up seeing the boy she was wanting to see. Lantis let a small smile escape from his lips remembering how much he loved the innocent look on the red haired girl's face.
"Somebody for me?" Umi asked wondering who could it be.
"Oy. Where is he? He begs you to bring him along with you but he doesn't show up because of being shy," Ferio sighed wrapping an arm around Fuu.
Looking out on the icy lake dormant in the middle of the park, Ascot wanted to learn more about the foreign new world. The cold wind brushed against his face but failed to make the boy feel cold. Baring the image of a grown adult, the child inside of him stared in curiosity tempted to step on the somewhat solid ice. With his arms stretched out before him, he wonder what new friends he could summon in this world but the fact of the known prevented him to proceed with his experiment.
"Ascot?" a heavenly voice called out to him.
"U...Umi?" he stuttered unable to look straight into the eyes of the girl he secretly loved.
"What are you doing here all alone?"
"I was just admiring your world. It seems so empty."
"You should come here during the summer when it's sunny and busy."
"I like the snow. It's very rare in Cephiro. Is the lake strong enough for me to step on?"
"Probably not."
"I missed you, Umi."
"I missed you, too. Now step away from the lake because you might fall in."
Taking Ascot by the hand, Umi directed him farther away from the edge of the lake but Ascot didn't want to leave the site right away. As he got farther from the edge, he pulled urging Umi to let him just stand there for a little longer. Playfully tugging him away, Umi wanted to tease the boy. A smiled slid across Ascot's face as he would play long tugging away at her.
"Umi, please," Ascot pleaded using a more child like voice.
"Ascot," she sighed.
Figuring out she wouldn't give up without a fight, Ascot took Umi's other hand turning her to look deeply into his eyes. Never really taking the time to see the green eyes hidden by his long bangs, Umi could see how caring and mature her friend was. All her life, she knew the boy as her young friend tagging along to play but for the first time in her life, she began to understand why he made himself look older, to show that he could be mature and serious. Wanting to look deeper into the green mysterious eyes, Umi reached up to brush the boy's bangs away. He allowed the soft gentle fingers to brush across his face wanting to feel her touch for so long.
"I never knew how beautiful your eyes are," Umi whispered unable to take her hand away from his face.
"There are things you don't know about me," he muttered back brushing his fingers through her long shinny blue hair.
"Like what?"
This was the chance he was waiting for. The only reason why he tagged along with Ferio and Lantis was to tell Umi how much he really missed her, love her, and hopefully win her heart. His courage slowly draining away feeling the fear of rejection over coming him. This was his last chance to have his water angel. Everything had to be prefect. He wanted to tell her how much he loved her but his voice seemed to be has quiet as the still world around him. He mentally scolded himself for not able to use the perfect opportunity before him. He thought it was the perfect opportunity.
"There they are," Hikaru shouted finding the two missing friends from their group.
"I told you he would be by the lake," Lantis grinned feeling proud knowing the answer the whole time.
"I never said he wasn't," Ferio argued.
Aware that their friends were watching, Umi and Ascot quickly pulled away from each other hoping that nobody noticed. A sly grin was across Ferio's face. Ascot blushed hiding his hands behind his back pulling at the sleeves covering his arms. Umi just smiled as if nothing happened. Fuu and Hikaru had no idea why Ascot was acting so oddly.
"Did something happen here?" Hikaru asked.
"Yeah, Ascot," Ferio grinned winking at the boy.
"Uh.." the summoner stuttered trying to find the courage that left him.
"Nothing happened. Why do you people have to insist that something happened between us? Can't two friend just talk together without getting any suspicions that anything happened?" Umi shouted supporting her shy friend.
"Whoa, Umi. I was just wondering. It's not like I was saying something actually happened which probably did but hey, I wasn't there to see anything so don't blame me," Ferio teased seeing the summoner blush a bit.
"My brothers are going to be here soon so I think maybe we could all go to the movies together or get some hot chocolate," Hikaru suggested trying to focus the attention on her.
"Your brothers?" Lantis asked nervously.
"Don't worry. I'm sure they will like you," Hikaru giggled.
//Yeah right// Lantis thought to himself.
Fuu could sense what her boyfriend had on this mind. Ferio approached the summoner from behind grinning with a idea he thought of. Having a feeling this wasn't going to go so well, Fuu pulled at Ferio's arm trying to stop him from embarrassing the boy any farther. Noticing Fuu, Ferio smiled and winked at her telling her he knew what he was doing.
Ascot stared at the ground feeling shy and embarrassed once again. He wanted to run away like he did earlier when he first arrived in Tokyo. Knowing Ferio, he had a feeling he was going to tease him until he would tell Umi how he truly felt that's why he ran off in the first place. He wanted to tell Umi when he was ready and right now wasn't the right time.
"Come on Ascot. I was just joking before. Don't be shy," Ferio said pushing the boy forward.
"Ferio!" Ascot shouted pushing him back.
"What? I'm trying to help you out here," Ferio replied pushing him again.
"I don't want to be helped."
"You have to tell her."
"I will tell her when I want to."
"That won't do. We will leave by the time you are ready."
"Just leave me alone!"
"I was just playing."
Seeing Ascot's defense down, Ferio pushed him harder than before sending him towards the lake. When a loud splash was heard, Umi's eyes widen knowing who fell in the icy lake. Everybody gathered around the lake to see who fell in and try to them him. Fuu angrily grabbed Ferio and pulled him as far from the lake as possible. As Hikaru's brothers arrived, Hikaru begged her oldest brother to rescue Ascot from the water. Not wanting his sister to worry, Hikaru's brother jumped into the lake after the boy. Everybody was worried for Ascot's well being but it was Umi was the worried the most.
"Ferio!" Fuu shouted.
"I didn't mean to," he sadly replied feeling sorry for what he did. "I'm really sorry."
"You should be apologizing to Ascot. If Hikaru's brothers weren't here, I would make you rescue him."
"Fuu, don't be mad at me. I just wanted to help him tell Umi how he feels about her."
"He does?"
"But he's shy. Don't punish me."
"Punish you?"
"Like avoid me the whole time I'm here."
"I wouldn't so something like that. I'm very upset in your actions but I wouldn't do anything to ruin our limited time together."
***
Feeling some strength come back to him, Ascot took a sip from the bowl of soup before him. Watching over him, Umi couldn't take her eyes off him. He has the image of an adult but with some soup and special treatment, he was more like a child. Looking in the bowl of his alphabet soup, Ascot smiled to himself as he made sure he didn't eat certain letters. Umi watched the playful child pick away at his soup but saw through him an older more serious boy. She could see that something was troubling him while he tried to keep in his cheery state.
"Umi-chan, can I have more soup?" the child inside of him asked.
"You didn't drink your orange juice or ate your fruits," Umi said in a motherly way.
"Fruits are icky," he giggled trying to sound more child like.
"But the grow ups always eat icky fruits and say we should eat them, too," Umi smiled playing along with his game.
"Candy is better."
"But candy won't help you grow or get better. My Mommy says fruits make me grow up and become big and strong. I want to become a big girl, don't you?"
"I don't want to become a big girl."
Ascot stubbornly took a bite from the orange already sliced for him. To his surprise, it was sweet. He quickly gobbled up the rest leaving one slice left having it for his precious Umi. Picking up the slice left for her, Umi smiled and pointed at the orange juice. Ascot took a sip to realize it possessed the same taste the oranges had. Looking at the juice in the glass, he could tell that his Umi specially squeezed the orange just for him.
Finishing the last of his lunch, Ascot laid back against the soft feather pillow feeling better than before. Umi gathered the empty bowl and dishes from the tray. Curiously she looked into the bowl remembering Ascot play with the letters. I love you, Umi. Seeing the meaningfull words in the bottom of the bowl, Umi placed the tray on a near by table and sat on the edge of the bed.
"Ascot," she called.
"Yeah," he answered sitting up in the bed.
"I was just wondering why did you come here."
"Because I wanted to see you."
"Ascot.."
"I can't stop thinking about you."
Pushing the blankets off his body, Ascot crawled to the girl sitting at the edge of the bed. He wanted to be with her, hold her, when he was going to tell her. Slowly he moved closer to the water knight not wanting to make her feel uncomfortable. Nervously Umi ran her fingers through her long blue hair allowing the boy to get closer to her. Ascot reached out to touch the soft feel of her hair, a touch he loved to feel. Only allowing certain people to touch her hair, Umi placed her hands in her lap letting the boy touch her the same way he did by the lake. After running her hair through his fingers a couple of times, Ascot bundled up her hair placing it on her far shoulder so her ear would be open to hear him. Taking her hands into his, Ascot looked deeply into Umi's eyes trying to pour all his emtions in the words he was about to say.
"I love you, Umi. I want us to be together," Ascot whispered to her bare ear.
"Ascot, I think I might be falling in love with you," Umi replied moving closer to the boy.
"You do?"
"I started to miss you a lot when I left. The more I missed you the more I learn how much I cared about you. When we were by the lake, I felt something I can't really explain but I felt safe and warm from your touch. Sometimes I have dreams about you. It's kind of odd but when I started to miss you, I accepted them."
Leaning close to each other, Ascot caressed her head about to kiss her. Umi melted by his touch wanting this for a long time now. Closer they pulled each other able to feel each other's breath and warmth until Ascot pulled away.
"What's wrong?" Umi asked.
"I'm sick. If I kiss you, you might get sick also," Ascot sighed.
"We can hug."
Ascot wrapped his arms around Umi squeezing her tightly never wanting to let go but it wasn't enough. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to feel his lips against hers. Surrendering to the temptations, Ascot pulled away from the hug and looked deeply into Umi's eyes. She nodded silently allowing him to continue. Ascot pulled the girl closer to him and kiss her trying to prove his true emotions. Parting, Ascot blushed seeing his Umi smiled and run her fingers through her hair again.
"I'll go get some tea and cookies," Umi suggested heading towards the door.
"Okay. I hope you won't get sick," Ascot smiled.
"I don't mind. It was worth it. I'll be right back."
"Don't take too long."
Umi grabbed the tray she sat aside and left the room to get some tea and cookies just like she promised. Lying back down on the pillow, Ascot started to think maybe it was a good thing Ferio pushed him in the lake. It allowed him to have time to spend with Umi alone. A cough was heard from the kitchen as Ascot giggled to himself.