Of Stars and Dreams

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Rated PG for mild sensuality

I own nothing from Cyborg 009; it all belongs to Avex Mode, Tokyo TV, and anyone else who holds copyrights to it.

Author's Notes: I absolutely love the 009 / 003 pairing! I just had to do a cute little story for them; they deserve it. So, enjoy- I always do…

The clock of the Kazumi household read 2 AM. The night was cool and calm, and for the moment all was right with the world.

Joe Shimamura, or Cyborg 009, was up late… again.

The young man sighed, gazing quietly at the stars in the heavens and the beautiful crescent moon. It was such a wonderful evening… how he wished he had someone to share it with…

"Joe?"

Surprised, Joe turned around and smiled a little. "003," he addressed.

Cyborg 003, or Francoise Arnoul, joined her fellow cyborg on the small and lonely balcony. "Oh, don't call me that," she whispered. "We're taking a break from the fight, remember?"

A light chuckle escaped Joe. "Sure… Francoise," he agreed, calling the young lady by her true name.

Francoise glanced at Joe, and noticed something was odd. "You're up quite late," she noted. "Is everything alright? Are you feeling okay?"

Suddenly a little nervous, Joe fought to conceal a slight blush. "Yeah, I'm fine," he answered. "I just had a dream, that's all..."

Perplexed, Francoise leaned in closer. "A dream?" she inquired. "About what? Was it a nightmare?"

Shaking his head, Joe's smile grew a little. "No, it was just a regular dream," he replied. "I've just been having it a lot lately; that's all."

As Joe returned to star-gazing, Francoise couldn't help but wonder. "Well, what was it about?" she queried. "Can you tell me?"

009 could no longer hold back his faint inner feelings; he began to blush, and if it weren't for the night sky shrouding him with very little light, it would have been easily noticeable. "Well, I don't remember all the details," he lied. "It was… well, it was a good dream, I guess."

Still, Francoise was very concerned. "Then why are you still awake?" she asked.

Sighing, Joe kept his eyes on the stars. "I want to go back to sleep," he admitted, "but my body won't let me." He turned to Francoise, smiling. "Sometimes I fall asleep here on the balcony, because watching the stars helps me fall asleep again."

003 nodded, joining 009 in star-gazing. "I know how you feel," she commented. "Sometimes, I have dreams like that… dreams that are so wonderful, and yet I have to wake up again." She paused. "Sometimes, I wish I could just stay asleep… it would be easier to live in a dream world than to deal with the pressures of the real world…"

Joe turned his head and glanced at the young lady. Francoise…

Then, suddenly, Francoise took her attention off of the stars and faced Joe. "I'm sure I'm boring you with my babbling," she said with a chuckle. "I should probably leave you alone and let you get some sleep."

As Francoise stood to leave the balcony, Joe quickly rose and gently took her hand. "Francoise," he gasped, almost hastily, "please, stay here."

Caught off-guard by such a request, Francoise glanced at 009 curiously. "Joe?"

Realizing his apparent desperation, Joe toned down his emotions and once again regained his composure. "What I meant to say was," he murmured, hiding his brightly blushing face with a casual hand, "I don't mind if you stay a little longer. I like having you around, Francoise."

003 smiled. "Thank you, Joe," she remarked.

The two cyborgs sat back down again. They both gazed in awe at the starry night and its wonders, and yet that was not the only thing they were admiring.

On occasion, Joe would give Francoise a sidelong look and smile. She's so beautiful, he thought. Just like in my dream…

With a lighthearted sigh, 009 stared at the stars again, though they were not the center of his thoughts at the moment. I still remember the dream, he pondered. It's always the same- just me and her, together. Just the two of us, enjoying our own company… her smiling face, that look of pure joy in her eyes… it makes me feel so genuinely happy…

"Joe?"

009 shrugged off his daydreams, looking at 003. "Yes?"

Francoise smiled. "I have to get back to bed," she explained, standing to leave. "Thanks for talking to me, and letting me star-gaze with you."

Nodding, Joe now kept his eyes on Francoise. "Of course," he answered.

Quietly, Francoise turned to leave, glancing at 009 briefly. "Sleep well, Joe," she whispered as she left. "Goodnight."

Joe waved gently. "Goodnight," he responded, turning back to the stars. He heard the door gently close behind him, leaving him alone on the balcony once again.

Despite the fact that he was star-gazing again, Joe was still thinking of Francoise. I wonder… does she ever dream of me?

Meanwhile, down the hallway, Francoise stopped halfway to her room and glanced at the door to Joe's room. I wonder… does he ever dream of me?

The End

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My first attempt at 009 / 003 romance fluffiness! Please, tell me what you think!!