Blah…blah… blah… don't plagiarize my stories, please don't sue me, some characters are mine, others are the property of MIB The Animated Series, and of course a few belong to Chanda and Delia, etc. (man this copyright stuff gets old after a while)!

Written in the Stars: A Destined Romance

Chapter 3: The Flame Still Burns

Once he was back at the MIB living quarters, X sat on his couch in deep thought. 'She almost KISSED me!' he thought. He had never really considered the possibility that Elle had a crush on him! Then again, he'd never realized that he felt that way about her either!

Just then there was a soft knock on his door. X got up and answered the door. Yazmine, Zeeltor's medical and lab assistant, stood there out of her human suit and gave X a concerned look.

"May I come in?" she asked as sweetly as she could.

"Uh, sure." X stepped aside and motioned for her to have a seat.

"Um, Zeeltor told me about what happened this afternoon. Want to talk about it?"

"No." he replied in an unsure tone. She was a doctor, and a lot saner than Zeeltor, maybe she'd be able to make sense of it all. "Well, what EXACTLY did he tell you?"

"Just that Elle was listening to your heartbeat and then you both leaned in to kiss. So why'd you pull away?"

X looked over at her, she looked as if she'd just asked a perfectly innocent question. "She pulled away too! It wasn't JUST ME!" he shouted defensively.

Yazmine smiled and shook her head, she'd always had a feeling that underneath all that bickering, those two really liked other. "So you DO have feelings for Elle?"

"I dunno," X replied as he replied as he rubbed the side of his shoe against the floor. "I mean, I didn't think I did. But now---I just don't know!"

"Love can be confusing sometimes," she sighed.

"What would you know about any of this?" X suddenly asked as he grew suspicious.

Yazmine hesitated a moment, then she decided to let her secret out, "Promise you won't tell? It's sort of embarrassing to talk about?"

"Yeah, sure, fine." he said as he crossed his arms.

Yazmine took a deep breath and then spit it out, "I'm secretly in love with Zeeltor!"

X could just stand there, slack jawed, and stare. This little confession had caught him entirely off guard. Yazmine was a tall, slender scientist (doctor/anthropologist) with shimmering violet eyes and dark purple skin. She was beautiful, cunning, intelligent, and had a sweet and loving demeanor. While Zeeltor was a zany mad scientist with a questionably insane bedside manner. So what the heck did she see in him?

"So, why don't you tell him?" X finally managed.

Yazmine sighed, "Zeeltor's a genius, I'm just an advanced anthropology professor with a PHD. Why would HE want to date ME?!"

"You never know," X shrugged.

Yazmine smile faintly, "I guess we're just as clueless about our feelings as Elle and you are."

X's big yellow eyes widened, "What?!"

"Oh c'mon," Yazmine teased, "you two were made for each other. You only fight to hide your true emotions!"

X couldn't believe what his huge pointy ears were hearing! "You--you've got it all WRONG! I don't like her, I CAN'T like her!! She--she's---"

"Everything you've ever wanted, just in a different species," Yazmine took the liberty of finishing for him.

He stood there, looking at her. She REALLY seemed to know what she was talking about. And she was right. As much as he hated to admit it. Elle was perfect for him. True, she was a human, tiny ears, beady eyes, and all, but he didn't care! He made fun of her species just so he could convince himself that he wasn't in love with her! He'd done a pretty good job of fooling himself, but he couldn't keep up the pretense forever. Elle was getting to him. And now, he KNEW he loved her!

"Well, I'll just let you sort this whole thing out," Yazmine said softly as she got up to leave, "I trust you'll make the right decision."

X watched her leave and when the door closed he sank down onto his couch. Yazmine had seen right through him, she knew Elle so she had obviously seen right through her too. How much longer before the rest of the MIB found out? Before the news reached his mother?!

He buried his face in his hands. Through all of the arguing, the insults, and the grudges---their feelings were surviving. Despite all their endless attempts, their flame kept burning-- brighter!

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