A/N: This one ran much more smoothly in my head. Oh well, we live and learn.


-The Princess and the Genius-

Perspective (1.1)

Aelita just found it exhausting.

The endless stream of sights, sounds, smells and all other kinds of sensations that she had to adjust to all at once, plus the day-to-day functions of life that other people rarely gave a second thought to, but which Aelita constantly worried she wasn't getting right. There was so much to take in.

As far as Kadic Academy went... after only knowing Jérémie, Yumi, Odd and Ulrich all her life, it was a shock to Aelita to learn just how many people there were on Earth. She knew the figures, but seeing it represented visually was something else altogether. She'd be lying if she said it wasn't kind of cool, having so many people want to talk to her, but half the time she didn't really know what to say. It was an entire world that she had barely begun to touch, filled with unfamiliar slang and new outings and alien pop culture.

The way Aelita saw it, Jérémie was at ease with everything. He was never afraid of saying the wrong thing and he navigated public transport - something Aelita found somewhat terrifying - effortlessly. He knew which foods were good (though she didn't quite agree about Brussels sprouts) and if he was insecure, she was so tied up in her own insecurities that she didn't notice.

At the end of a long day, struggling to keep her story straight whilst assaulted by Milly and Tamiya's endless questioning, she knocked on Jérémie's bedroom door. He didn't turn around when she came in, glued as usual to his computer screen with piles of discs and sheets of data surrounding him, a pile of coffee mugs storing stagnant liquid on the floor.

"Jérémie?" she said, and he finally turned around at the sound of her voice, rubbing his eyes. "Mind if I come in?"

He shook his head and she sprawled gratefully on the bed, hugging a pillow to her chest.

"So how's life on Earth, Aelita?" he asked her.

"Tiring," she mumbled, closing her eyes. Then she opened them again suddenly, jolting herself awake, and glanced over to where Jérémie was examining a scribbled-on piece of paper with a thoughtful expression. "Do you mind if I sit here for a while?"

"Not at all. Do you want to watch a movie?"

"That sounds good."

He brought his laptop over and balanced it on his knees as he sat beside her. She cuddled up to him and rested her head on his shoulder; clumsily, he inserted the DVD into the disc drive.

"Tron?" Aelita mused as she picked up the discarded DVD case and examined the cover.

"Science fiction." He shrugged. "I thought you might find it interesting."

Aelita did, but try as she might to focus on the movie, within twenty minutes her eyes were closed and she lay curled up against Jérémie, fast asleep. He noticed the gradual slow and deepening of her breathing and when he looked down and saw her peaceful expression, he couldn't help smiling to himself. She was happy to be here, he didn't doubt it for a second and was glad of it, though maybe it wasn't as easy for her as he had first thought after all.

The movie played on. Soon Jérémie too was dozing in the darkened room.