What's It Mean, Anyway?, a code lyoko fanfic

OKAY, SO~~

Clearly, I do not own Code: Lyoko. I DO, however, own Elane Thompson.

Keep in mind that I wrote most of this story late at night with no real idea of what the heck I was supposed to be doing, so...yeah. If it sucks, then I'm sorry. Sometimes my writing just isn't the best.

This IS an OddxOC pairing, so if you don't like that kind of stuff, then just...leave or something. Nobody told you that you had to read this, ya know! 8U

...but if you DO like this sort of thing, then welcome aboard! 8D

Yeah, I just felt REAAALL fluffy.

So...enjoy, I guess... 8'D

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It was just like any other beautiful night in Paris: The evening sky was dotted with millions of brilliant, luminous stars. The full moon seemed to smile down upon a small village street, where a young couple were walking hand-in-hand, laughing it up about a joke that one of their friends had cracked in science class earlier that day.

The two teenagers happened to be students at the Kadic Academy and Boarding School only a few blocks away from the little street, taking a walk on a Saturday night to celebrate the start of another weekend, free from school, homework and, hopefully, the threat of another XANA attack.

Elane Thompson had been accepted into the Lyoko gang after accidentally stumbling across the factory while they were recruiting new Warriors to help fight against an evil computer program that they had thought to have been destroyed.

Of course, that was two years ago.

Now it seemed that she and her best friend, Peyton Cooke, were the only "new recruits" left who hadn't spilled their secret or chickened out of the group. Thank God Jeremy had installed that new memory-wiping device...

But that wasn't the only thing that had happened when she was fourteen...

That same year, Elane had fallen victim to an awful virus which had put her completely under XANA's control. For almost a week, she had fought alongside William Dunbar to fulfill XANA's wishes; a slave sent to do his bidding. It was as if she was living a nightmare.

Sure, she had tried to pretend that she had no idea what she was doing; that it was all a blur; that she couldn't remember anything since that one day in the infirmary...

But she knew.

She knew what she had done.

She had watched helplessly as her body moved on its own (or Xana's) accord, committing countless crimes.

Shoplifting.

Arson.

Attempted murder...

It was amazing what one was capable of doing in six days...

But the worst part was waking up from that nightmare to find her friends–all of them–fighting. Fighting for her.

...how could they?

How could they just forgive her like that? After everything that she had done?! She had hurt them...all of them...in some way, shape or form. And...and then they just...accepted her.

Weren't they upset?

Weren't they angry?

Why did they care so much? What did she ever do to deserve this...this love?

But it didn't stop there...

Oh no...

Not two days later had she been standing alone by the coffee machines, enjoying a cup of hot chocolate, when up staggered Odd Della Robia, cool and confident as can be.

The two had exchanged casual greetings while Odd appeared to be thinking about what sort of drink he wanted. And then he asked that question that had made Elane want to do a spit-take in mid-sip out of pure shock.

He had asked her out on a date that Saturday.

Now, having been at Kadic since she was in the sixth grade, Elane was no stranger to Odd's reputation as the "Ladies' Man" on campus, with his arm around a new girl every two weeks.

Her reaction wasn't immediate–it took a little bit of thought. Finally, she agreed, and rushed off to class almost too quickly, leaving Odd to pride himself in the fact that he had succeeded in getting another new girlfriend.

Their first date was awkward and quiet for the first half-hour of the movie that they went to go see (and the fact that they were watching a comedy movie from the floor of the theater (Elane's idea) while everyone around them was laughing at the witty one-liners the characters cracked every ten seconds didn't help). But eventually the awkwardness subsided and the two found themselves planning dates every other weekend.

Just like the one they were on now.

Having (apparently) been the only two in the group unafraid to share their true feelings, the happy couple had been going strong for the past two years (and didn't plan on stopping any time soon).

Time had definitely changed Elane Thompson. Still wearing a comfortable purple blouse, Elane switched her blue-jean capris with regular faded blue-jeans and now wore red converse instead of her comfy white sneakers. A pair of small silver hoops now hung down from her earlobes and a few multi-colored bangles now jingled on her right wrist. Of all the things that had changed about her, though, she still refused to remove her most favorite red scrunchie from her long (ish) dirty-blonde hair.

Odd hadn't changed much at all, really. In fact, the only things that really made him look different from what he did two years ago were the sharp shades currently resting atop his head, the single silver stud in his right ear, and the fact that his purple jacket was currently resting on Elane's shoulders in order to protect her from the chilly evening breeze.

Tonight the two had decided to spare some of Elane's money and take a simple evening stroll the way those old couples always did in those sappy romance movies. As it turned out, the night was not as dull as they had anticipated.

"Did you see the look on Hertz's face?"

"I know! Who would'a thought Ulrich might actually have a sense of humor?"

"Yeah. I just hope his detention time doesn't cut in with that monster movie thing we had planned with the gang tomorrow."

The Lyoko gang had managed to keep their close friendship throughout the years, having developed a sort of sibling-like relationship amongst themselves. Again, not much had changed except for one small detail...

William. Effing. Dunbar.

He and Peyton had been having a sort of "On again, off again," relationship about a year ago. Finally, William did something so awful–so heinous–so unforgivable towards Peyton that he was quite literally kicked out of the group. Every once-in-a-while he'd act like some creeper trying to stalk Peyton for no reason other than it was just freaky, but he never really seemed like he wanted revenge.

Still, it made Elane think...about relationships and how horribly wrong they could go. When that jerk had hurt her best friend, Elane wasn't really sure of anything anymore. William had seemed like such a nice guy at first. But then he...he just changed...

Elane had thought that he loved Peyton...

...love...

What did that mean anyway?

"...hey, Odd?" she said, hoping that he might be able to help her out.

"Yeah?" he replied, giving her a little smile and a sideways glance. "What is it?"

"...what's love?"

"Huh?"

"Love. Like...what's it mean?"

Odd had to think for a little while as they walked, creating a slightly awkward silence for the next couple of minutes.

"...well," he said, sounding a bit unsure of himself. "I guess it's when two people really like each-other."

"No." she said, and shook her head. "I mean really. Not like when you send a little 'XOXO' text to your girlfriend or when you get a card from a secret admirer on Valentines Day. What's real love?"

They stopped for a while as Odd tried to think. He wanted to come up with an answer good enough. What did it mean? For about five minutes, Odd stayed deep in thought.

"...well," he said again as they continued their walk. "I think that love is...when two good friends decide that they want a stronger relationship together, so they start to go out. It might be...awkward, at first, but soon the two get more comfortable with their relationship.

"Eventually," Odd continued. "they begin to take that relationship to different levels as they get older. Then they'll will continue to spend more and more time together. And then...one of them realizes..." He paused.

"...realizes what?" Elane asked, glancing up at Odd.

"...he realizes that...that he just couldn't live without her..."

This confused Elane. She had been hoping for a more straightforward answer, but...what was he talking about?"

"...what're you saying, Odd?" she asked, still unable to understand.

They stopped walking.

Odd turned to face Elane and looked her straight into her deep, brown eyes. Hadn't he just told her? Could he possibly make it any more clear?!

He took both of her hands in his, just to make sure he had her full attention this time. Wasn't it obvious? Didn't she see it? He had been trying so hard to make it perfectly clear to her for the past two years!

"...I love you, Elane."

He leaned in slightly, closing the gap between them as they embraced in a gentle kiss.

It was then she realized.

She realized that this was her future. This was what she had been looking for her whole life–what she had always wanted. She had always thought that this sort of thing was so sappy–that it belonged in one of those fluffy romantic comedies–that it was just plain cliche.

But right now–in his arms–it just felt so...right.

The kiss soon ended and Elane wrapped her arms around Odd's neck, while he held her tightly in his arms, neither one wanting to let go.

A single tear rolled down Elane's left cheek as she stood there, in the arms of the one person she knew that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, and whispered;

"...I love you, too, Odd..."

Aww, how sweet...

Yeah, I know Odd isn't normally the deep, totally sensitive type (and that his summary of what love is sounded more like a scientific observation than anything --'), but...hey, it's been a couple of years! They've grown up! 8U

Well, anyways, please be sure to RxR!! ^w^

I luffs joo all! 8D G'night!

~&~Dizzy~&~