Disclaimer: I don't own Code Lyoko. Sadly. I only own the meagerness of the plot. Yay.
Rating: Nothing to drastic happens. G.
Pairings: (Now, this is a shocker) UY. Mentions JA and OxOCs.
Warnings: I'm sick and on Airbourne, Zicam, Robitussin and Tylenol. Save me. Oh, and it's fluffy.
Author's Note: Hello my little, gentle readers! So long since I have visited this particular area of fandom and shipper-dom. I must admit that lately I've missed the two annoyingly heart-sick ones that used to torment me. So, I come bearing a gift. You can have it for the simple price of a review each. Aren't you excited?
Dedication: This is dedicated to Ems because she's put up with me and my insanity. And because tonight she had to deal with a very tough thing that had her very upset. You should all go and read her fics (under RenaYumi) and review them all with praise and happiness (especially if it's the April Fool series). I love you Emsie.
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"I'm cold."
"You're always cold."
"Don't be mean."
She heaves a sigh at his silence and turns over, eyeing him. He's in profile, arms locked behind his head and eyes fixed on the sky above. She can never understand how he can spend so much time out here. Or how he can get so lost in the world of nature because it always leaves her feeling more insubstantial and alone than anything else? It doesn't matter now though because she's here, with him, even if he is lost to his thoughts.
In the starlight (no moon tonight to cast a friendly light) he looks calm and relaxed and she hopes it's because she's here. And that she's making him feel less insubstantial like he's making her feel. The bandage above his right eyebrow doesn't even look that bad in this light she muses. It's a remnant from the Xana attack this afternoon and she knows it could have ended up so much more badly than just a cut (he still refers to it as a scratch though it needed eleven stitches).
"Are you even listening to me?"
He turns to face her and her breath catches in her throat. His eyes are dancing at her, dark and expressive in the half light. He reaches up a hand and presses it to the side of her face, fingers tangling in her dark hair and she offers a slight smile. She can't help but puzzle over the warmth of his hands even though she's the one with the jacket.
"I always listen to you."
And it's at times like this, when he looks so earnest and that smile is quirked in just a way that she knows it's for her and not their friends, or a mild annoyance, or a funny joke, or even the stupid nature around them that her heart melts. It's when he smiles like that she remembers why she agreed to finally go out with him, despite what it might do to the group (after all Jeremie and Aelita were doing well enough and Odd was…well, Odd was Odd and that was all that could be said) or their own friendship. Because she realizes again and again that she loves that smile and she wants to see it more often.
"You do, do you?" she teases lightly. Or rather, not so lightly judging by the subtle change in his expression. It isn't the time, or the place, but she pursues the topic avidly, hoping an argument will lead to warmth and fervor. "What about last month, when I told you to go left and you just had to go right and get killed by the block? Or when I told you not to eat the ice cream last week after you were just getting over your cold? You were stuffed up for three more days. Or just today when I told you that it would be cold out but you still forgot your jacket? You'll end up with a cold again, wait and see."
He smirks at the last topic and she knows she lost a battle she didn't know she was fighting. "But Yumi-dear," she still twitches when he calls her that and he knows it too, "I'm not the one that's cold."
"Oh, you!" She glares half heartedly and shoves him away. He laughs and falls onto his back, arms returning to their previous position and eyes once again trained to the sky. But he's still chuckling and that makes her smile despite herself. She curls up against his side and lets out a contented sigh. It isn't plausible for him to be so warm, unless he's running another fever. "Why are you so interested in the stars?"
"Just waiting."
His arms break their formation when one drifts down to wrap around her shoulders. She smiles into his chest and snuggles closer. Her head tilts so that she can stare up at the sky above and the dark profile of the silent boy who crept in (okay he really attacked her the first time they met) and stole her heart.
"Waiting for what?"
She can tell he's amused, that he's holding back chuckles, because his body is twitching and it's usually Odd that twitches. "Ten thirty-eight," he replies.
"Okay…why?"
"You'll see. It's almost time so relax. Unless you're worried about freezing to death, in which case you may want to worry."
"Oh, shut-up," she growls. His hand travels lower, finding her ribs and letting out an assault, attacking them brutally and quickly. She shrieks, curling up and instinctively moving away. Unfortunately that means pinning herself between the warm body and the villainous hand. "Ulrich, stop! Stop! I relent! I'll do anything! I'd raise a white flag but I don't have one!" she cries.
"Yumi, Yumi. If Xana only knew you were ticklish, think of all the harm he could inflict upon the world?" She resists punching him (since he's probably delusional from the hypothetical fever) and she's really too comfortable now to move much.
The alarm of his watch goes off with an annoying beeping but it sounds sick and feeble to her ears and she looks at him questioningly. He gives a small shrug. "Odd accidentally dropped it in the sewer," he explains. "We had to fish it out with a paper clip, ruler, string, and the physics text book."
She doesn't even try to imagine how that's done. "And you're wearing it why?"
"I like it. And we rinsed it after at the school. Anyway, show time." He pulls flashlight out from somewhere and she decides she has to question him later about it. "Follow the beam." She rolls her eyes but trains her eyes on the flashlight as it moves. "See that constellation?" At her nod he continues. "That's Ursa Minor, or rather, the little dipper…"
"I know what Ursa Minor is."
"Okay, okay. And that's," he moves the light, "Orion's belt over there. See? And right below that, are you looking?"
"I'm looking."
"That's your star."
"What?" She sits up, staring at him and he smiles. That quirk of a smile and she's shocked and surprised and brilliantly happy all rolled up into one nearly exploding package. "My what?" she repeats in a slightly calmer tone.
"Your star," he repeats as if it's the most sensible thing in the world. Her star. She's still gaping openly. "It's not a very imaginative name, Odd suggested more…interesting…names but I liked it I guess. La jolie Yumi. I'm sure I messed it up since I've never been good at French conjugation, but there you have it." He offers a lopsided smile as he sits. "Happy anniversary?"
"Ulrich Stern!" she exclaims. He looks startled as she tackles him to the ground. "I can't believe you…you! Ugh, how?" He gives her that inane smile and she shakes her head, kissing him soundly and then looking back at the sky. "Show it to me again?"
"Of course my lady," he replies gallantly. He shifts closer and she welcomes the warmth once more as he lifts the light. "See those stars that make up Orion's belt?" She nods. "And right below the farthest? That's your star. Right there."
"Thank you." They're silent for a moment and she shivers. "I'm still cold."
"I know."
"And my gift looks completely cheap now."
"Probably."
She glares. "I love you."
"I know." He squeezes her hand, keeping the beam fixed on the star. "I love you too."
"I know."
