Title: Advances
Warnings: Cursing.
Rating: PG-13
Author's Note: Hey everyone, so the wait was due to me having a fit and trying to figure out what kind of ending I wanted for this. Because believe me, it was a toss-up, literally. I went back and forth on this one for a long time.
Thank you to everyone whose favorited, followed, and left feedback. You all are too kind. I hope you enjoy this too!
8. She laughed off Sissi's advances on Ulrich (until she heard him call her Eli for the first time).
They're eating lunch in the cafeteria when Sissi sidled up to the table. She pressed her hip against the table and smiled down at Ulrich. For his part, Ulrich looked resigned. Yumi quirked an eyebrow in question, but Sissi ignored her. She leaned over, elbow on the table and chin propped on her folded hand.
"Sissi," Ulrich sighed. He stabbed a white asparagus with his fork and looked somewhere around her left ear.
"Ulrich-dear, did you hear about the new film at the cinema?" she asked. Yumi stared at the back of Sissi's head, imagined the shark-like grin stretching the younger girl's face.
"I'm not interested, Sissi," he said quietly.
"But, Ulrich-dear," Sissi whined.
"Get lost, Sissi. Can't you see you're interfering with our appetites?" Odd exclaimed. Jeremie gave a pained sound next to her and Yumi hid a smile in her glass.
Sissi huffed and strode away from the table, shoes clacking against the tiled floor. Herve and Nicholas fell into step with her at the door. "Think she'll learn to take a hint?" Yumi asked, twirling a strand of spaghetti around her fork.
"Doubt it," Odd chirped. He elbowed Ulrich and grinned at his frown. "She'd need brains for that, huh?" he laughed.
Ulrich chuckled and shook his head. "She's stubborn," he said, "but, she'll figure it out eventually."
. . … . .
"No, no I haven't seen Eli in a while. I told you…we aren't really talking. No. I don't. I have to go. I'll get on tonight. Bye." Yumi looked up from where she was flipping through Ulrich's history textbook, eyebrow raised curiously. "Sorry," Ulrich mumbled, taking a seat next to her.
She wanted to ask who he was talking to. She wanted to ask who Eli was. Instead she flipped to the chapter on Napoleon. "Ready to study?" she asked.
. . … . .
They were seated on the bleachers around the indoor gym, waiting for the start-of-term assembly to start. Yumi was on her third coffee of the morning and still felt groggy. She winced when Sissi's voice shrilled over the crowd of mumbled voices.
"Ulrich-dear!" Sissi called. She squeezed herself onto the bench next to him, elbowing Yumi out of the way. It was a testament to her sleep deprivation that she didn't retaliate and only glowered at the back of the girl's head.
"Sissi," Ulrich replied. He hunched forward, elbows on his knees. "You almost knocked over Yumi's coffee."
Sissi twisted, spared a disinterested look for Yumi and her mug of coffee. "Sorry," she said, voice flat. Before Yumi could respond Sissi had whipped back around, strands of black hair hitting Yumi in the face. She grumbled under her breath and sipped at her coffee. "So, you know how Leon assigned us that project where we pick a period in history and present on it?" she asked.
"…Yeah," Ulrich replied tentatively.
"Well, I was thinking we should work together. Now, before you say anything, think about it. We could do the Revolution; I know you've always been interested in that. Or we could do it on Coubertin-"
"Sissi," Ulrich sighed.
She patted his hand and stood. "Just think about it, you know it makes sense," she said. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and disappeared up the bleachers.
"I sincerely hope you have better offers than that," Yumi mumbled. She saw Ulrich's lips quirk into a smile and she smiled into her coffee.
. . … . .
"Sissi making a move again?" Odd asked.
Yumi rolled her eyes and studied her phone. "That obvious?" she asked. She leaned against the brick wall and resisted looking across the courtyard at the pair in question.
"You two shouldn't spy on them," Jeremie said. He frowned up at them from his spot on the ground, laptop open and balanced on his knees. "Let her humiliate herself in peace." He pushed his glasses back up to their proper place.
"You take all the fun out of making fun of Sissi, Einstein," Odd whined.
"I just think you shouldn't have to stoop to her level for entertainment, Odd."
"Whatever," Yumi replied. She glanced up to see Sissi's fingers curled around Ulrich's bicep and grit her teeth. "If Sissi wants to make a fool of herself, so be it," she added. "It's not like Ulrich's interested in her anyway."
"Oh, I don't know," Odd said idly. He played with a rubber band around his wrist, snapping it every other word. "Objectively speaking, she is kind of hot." Yumi gaped at him. "If you can ignore the voice and personality."
"And let's not forget that before we found you-know-what and she betrayed us, they were close," Jeremie added. He frowned as Yumi made a disgruntled noise in the back of her throat. "I thought we agreed he wasn't going to let her in again, if she figures it out and betrays us again-"
"Cool it, Einstein," Odd placated. "I don't think Nature Boy over there has eyes for Sissi anymore." He smirked and settled against the wall next to Yumi.
"Why's that?" Yumi asked. Her eyes tracked Ulrich's movements, watched the way he reached up and (gently) removed Sissi's hand from his arm, watched him lean in to say something in her ear. He looked up, caught Yumi's eye and flushed.
"Just a hunch," Odd sing-songed. "Yo, Ulrich, get a move on! We're supposed to be seeing that movie before you get your ass kicked by Yumi!" he hollered across the courtyard. Ulrich nodded, shoved his hands in his trouser pockets, and ambled over to them. "See?" Odd whispered. "Not even a backwards glance for her. He's onto better things now."
Yumi felt her stomach twist and vowed not to drink so much coffee in the future.
/
"So…" Yumi began hesitantly.
"So?" Ulrich parroted back to her. He looked up from where he was stretched out on the grass before rolling over onto his stomach in order to face her.
Yumi took a gulp of water from the bottle in her hand and collected her thoughts. "You and Sissi," she began. She paused as Ulrich's face shuttered. He didn't turn away though, so she forged ahead. "You two…dated? Before Lyoko, I mean?"
Ulrich shrugged and rolled onto his back, stared up at the multihued sky and was silent for a long time. "Yeah," he said finally. "We were close."
"I just, I can't imagine it," she said casually. "She's persistent and a little flaky, not really the sharpest tool in the shed, you know?"
Ulrich shrugged again. "So it appears," he agreed. "It was complicated," he added. He tilted his head back to eye her in the growing dark. "Why are you asking?"
"Sissi seems interested in getting back to that and Jeremie's worried, because of before, and I was just wondering-"
"If I was sneaking around with Sissi behind everyone's back?" he asked, eyebrow arched.
"What? No!" She flushed and stuttered. "No. I was wondering if you would, go back to her. After Lyoko is shut down…If you still liked her?"
Again he was silent for a long while. Yumi bided her time, listened to the crickets and cicadas, packed up her empty water bottle and stretched her sore muscles. An owl hooted and the shadows stretched. "No," he said finally, when she was nearly ready to give up on him answering. "No, I don't really like Sissi all that much." There was something to the way he said it that spoke of something else, but she couldn't decipher it and let it go for the moment.
"Well, good," she said as she got to her feet. Ulrich stood as well, gave her a curious look. "I think you could do much better," she admitted.
. . … . .
Jeremie made a disgruntled noise and shot Odd an annoyed look. The blonde ignored him and continued to spin in circles on Jeremie's desk chair. "Has anyone reached him?" he asked.
Yumi hung up her phone as Ulrich's voicemail clicked on. "He's still not answering," she replied, tried to keep the worry out of her voice. He was probably making up a test or at practice or –
"Well, let's begin then," Jeremie grumbled. "I think I've figured out a way to materialize Aelita and shut down X.A.N.A. without completely obliterating-"
The door opened and Ulrich stumbled in looking embarrassed. "Sorry," he apologized.
Odd looked up, mouth open, but Jeremie spoke first. "Glad you could join us," he deadpanned. Ulrich shrugged and took a seat on the floor next to Yumi.
"Lost track of time," he replied.
"Practice?" Yumi asked. She nudged his shoulder and he smiled but shook his head.
"No, I was with a friend. What'd I miss?"
Jeremie looked conflicted about whether he wanted to lecture or chastise, before ultimately launching into his explanation of Lyoko's structural whatever. Yumi knew she should pay attention but she was distracted by the silent conversation happening behind Jeremie's laptop screen. Odd was making faces and Ulrich's eyes were narrowing, eyebrows furrowing more than usual.
She wondered what she was missing.
. . … . .
She rounded the corner between the science wing and the cafeteria to find Ulrich and Sissi mid-argument. They were standing in a small alcove off the science building, alone. Ulrich's arms were crossed over his chest, expression neutral-bordering-on-bored as he leaned against the rough brick. Sissi had her hands in the air, waving them around irritably.
"You're really screwed up, you know?" Sissi demanded. One of her hands jabbed him in the chest and Yumi saw Ulrich stiffen. "I don't know if it's you or your friends or your father-"
"Elisabeth," Ulrich ground out, voice carried on the wind. Yumi was surprised; she hadn't heard anyone call Sissi by her first name aside from the headmaster.
"No, no. You don't get to be angry. You're the one who kissed me, Ulrich-dear," and Sissi's voice rose to a near-shriek. Yumi froze. She wasn't spying, she was surprised. Ulrich shrugged and shoved his hands in his pockets, rocked back on his heels. "Now you're blowing me off? What the hell is wrong with you? You treat me like I'm your dirty little secret and trust me, Ulrich-dear, I am so not."
"Nothing. I…" His eyes lifted and Yumi knew the exact moment he spotted her. His shoulders tensed and his face turned neutral again. "I've got to go, Sissi."
He pushed off the wall but Sissi grabbed his arm, pulled him back and said something too quiet for Yumi to hear. Ulrich hesitated, met her eyes and shook his head. Sissi's face paled even as her cheeks reddened and she raised a hand to slap him. Yumi wondered if she should intervene, boys generally didn't seem to appreciate girls coming to their rescue but…
Ulrich caught Sissi's wrist, leaned in and whispered something. He released her and walked over to Yumi, gave her a small smile. "Hey, were you looking for me?"
"Uh, no, not really," she replied, cheeks red. "Just taking a short cut to the cafeteria. I had a question for Mr. Gregory," she added. Over Ulrich's shoulder she saw Sissi flounce away toward the cafeteria. "You kissed her?" she asked before she could stop herself.
Ulrich shrugged and didn't meet her eyes. They fell into step toward the cafeteria. "Yeah. Odd suggested it," he said after a few steps. "During the attack yesterday," he added.
"Oh," she replied. She wasn't sure what else she was supposed to say. "So, think it'll be Brussels sprouts again today?"
"God, I hope not," Ulrich laughed, tension leaving his shoulders.
. . … . .
"Eli, Eli, I can't. Yes, alright. Alright," Ulrich sighed. He rubbed at his temples and Yumi was not eavesdropping. She wasn't. "Tomorrow? Okay. Yeah. See you."
Yumi kept her eyes firmly affixed to her script and didn't look up as Ulrich set his phone down on the ground between them. "Who's Eli?" Aelita questioned. She looked up from where she was highlighting her biology book.
"Yeah, Ulrich, who is Eli?" Odd replied, voice dripping with something Yumi couldn't place. She looked up and caught Jeremie's puzzled expression.
Ulrich kicked Odd's shin and shrugged. His head was bent so she couldn't see his face, but his neck was tinged a faint red. "Just a friend, don't worry about it."
"You haven't told her about-?"
"No. Is that all you think about?" Ulrich grumbled.
She'd heard Eli mentioned before but this was the first time she really wondered if she should be worried. Ulrich's knee pressed against hers and she pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind.
. . … . .
"It won't last," Sissi said; her voice thick with finality and self-righteous certainty. She was looking at Yumi when she said it though and Yumi felt something in her stomach twist. Something cold and hard and suddenly she wasn't that hungry for breakfast anymore. "We both know it won't." Her eyes were on Ulrich this time and that cold, hard thing in her stomach coiled tighter at the look Ulrich shared with her. "Come on, I hear they're announcing the new play today and I want to see which lead I'll be playing."
. . … . .
It was Saturday afternoon and she was on her way to visit Ulrich. She hadn't let him know, because she hadn't really anticipated stopping by but she'd gone to that little bakery and they'd had those chocolate scones he liked, and well, stopping by seemed logical. Besides, she was his girlfriend and he genuinely seemed happy to see her when she popped in unexpectedly. And she was bringing chocolate scones.
Yumi smiled as she walked down the familiar hallway. She was somewhat distracted, thinking about what to make Hiroki for dinner tonight and whether she'd remembered to set the DVR, when she reached the door. It was slightly ajar and she could hear voices on the other side. The open door didn't really surprise her, lately Jim was conducting surprise room inspections to make sure boys and girls weren't fraternizing behind closed doors. It probably just meant Aelita was in there again.
She pushed the door open a little wider and froze.
Odd was on his bed, tossing wadded up paper balls for Kiwi to fetch (how had Jim not discovered the dog yet anyway?). He was laughing and had his sketchpad propped up on his knees. "Are you serious?" he asked not noticing the pushed open door.
Across the room Ulrich was leaning back against the wall. He was grinning and relaxed and that surprised Yumi almost as much as seeing Sissi lying on her stomach next to him, hand dangling off the bed to retrieve the paper balls Kiwi fetched. "Oh, I'm very serious," she replied, voice breathless with laughter.
"Really?" Odd questioned. His pencil scratched against the pad.
"Oh yes. He was up that tree for three hours. My grandmother wanted to call his parents but he refused and cried and threatened to jump and break his arm purposefully. Daddy had to get a ladder when he got home and coax him down with a bag of chocolates." Odd chortled and Sissi laughed, tossed the paper ball for Kiwi again.
"God," Ulrich laughed. "I can't believe you remember that."
"I have an excellent memory," she retorted.
"Obviously," Odd snorted. Ulrich hurled a pillow at the blonde. "So what else have you got?"
"Mm," Sissi said. She shifted and her head was on Ulrich's thigh and Yumi barely managed to contain her growl. Her hand clenched on the scone bag. "Let's see," she mused.
Yumi reached for the door again, intent on making her presence known and demanding to know just what the Hell was going on. Because seriously, her boyfriend should not have Sissi Delmas's head on his thigh. And Odd, who hated her even more than she did, should not be laughing and-and-and conversing with her.
Her fingertips had just met the door when Ulrich groaned.
"Eli," he sighed. "Haven't you embarrassed me enough today?"
Yumi didn't freeze this time, instead she turned and ran. She tossed the scones in the trash by the stairs on her way out.
/
"Hey," Ulrich greeted when she answered her phone that night. "How are you, haven't heard from you all day. You okay?"
Yumi relaxed on her bed and stared at her glowing ceiling. She fought the knots in her stomach and the tightness of her throat. "Yeah, fine. How was your day?" she asked.
"Okay," he sighed. He sounded tired and she closed her eyes. But the image of Sissi, of Sissi-who-he-called-Eli, laughing with her head on his thigh kept replaying in her mind and she focused on the stars above her again. "I just hung out in my room, did some homework and goofed around."
He sounded so sincere and her stomach knotted tighter, her throat became more constricted. If she hadn't known, if she hadn't seen, then she'd…she'd believe him. What else had he just not told her?
"How was your day?" he asked.
"Oh, it was okay. I went to Belle's and got some pastries then came home to do homework and watch Hiroki since my parents had some function to go to."
She had come home and run a hot bath, drowned her sorrows in too-hot water and lavender-scented bubble bath. He didn't need to know that. Her mother had given her a look but had been distracted getting ready. She'd watched Disney movies and ate over-sized ice cream sundaes with Hiroki until they'd both felt sick.
"They have those chocolate scones?"
"No," she said. They were silent for a while and Yumi closed her eyes, saw that same damn scene replay behind her eyelids. Her voice was thin when she next spoke. "Ulrich?" He made a sound of acknowledgment. "Ulrich, who is Eli?"
His voice was careful when he answered. "Why do you ask?"
"I've heard…I've heard you mention her before. Who is she?"
"Just an old friend, Yumi. Someone I used to know a long time ago." Her stomach twisted and she swallowed hard.
"An old girlfriend?" she pressed.
Ulrich was silent. She could hear Odd's voice in the background. "No," he said. "She's just an old friend I grew up with." There was a crash and Ulrich groaned. "I've got to go, talk to you later?"
"Yeah," she murmured.
"Goodnight, love you," he said.
Her throat was tight and thick with unsaid things. "Love you too. 'Night," she replied.
She hung up and closed her eyes, saw the scene again. But she saw more this time, saw the looks and the touches, the distraction kisses Ulrich had used on Sissi in the past, heard Sissi's warning It won't last and felt the bile rise up her throat.
It was the first time she ever felt that Sissi was a threat after all.