Yay! Thanks for all my reviewers! I'm so sorry. I had the second chapter written before xmas, but my computer crashed! It's still not fixed... luckily, I got... a laptop for xmas! --squeals-- i was so happy! But then we went on vacation the day after xmas, and I did take my laptop, but I had no internet access. In other words, this is the soonest I was able to update. we got home last night. But yeeah, I finally updated....

Anyway, thanks for all your possitive reviews, so glad you liked it! Responses at the bottom!

Happy New Years!!!

Practicing Christmas

Chapter 2

Zima waited for Dita's return at the base of the building, childishly drawing figures in the snow with his finger as he stood in the cold December day. Christmas day to be exact. Adding whiskers to the cat he traced in the snow, he let his mind theorize over what his little attack Chobits had gone to do. It was so uncharacteristic of her to leave him just like that.

Had she gone to apologize to that waitress? He chucked the idea even before it was fully formed. His Dita was too proud to apologize to anyone, especially someone who'd almost made her lose her temper like that. He had to chuckled amusedly at the remembrance of the incident.

So then what? To give money to the beggars? Though he hadn't taught her, he was pretty sure she knew how to operate the ATM machines and remove money from their government supplied account. But still, it just wasn't her style.

He gave up; his little Dita was too much of an enigma for him to figure out. He was trying, but it was a long process, made more difficult by her inability to understand and realize the emotions she so profusely refused to admit she possessed and displayed.

Then he heard the low crunch of snow under small footsteps and glanced up immediately, and froze. Against her smooth, pale skin, and the brilliant white purity of the snow below, the crimson droplets that fell to the snowy ground and trailed over her arms, wrapped around herself, were shockingly clear in Zima's mind, and the alarm he felt was like nothing he ever had.

"Zima, look—"

"Dita! What happened?" he rushed forward, reaching for her, but she only raised an eyebrow on a puzzled face, and it was then that the taller persocom noticed the black animal held gently in her arms, unnoticed against the backdrop of Dita's black clothing. He looked at his partner in confusion, and she only held out her arms, the unconscious animal cradled gently in her hands.

"I found it, Zima. It's an animal…" she paused and looked at the tiny creature in her arms, "It's broken. Will… will you help me fix it?"

He could never refuse her. Not when her candy-apple eyes were pleading him, shining brightly with a new light, one he had never seen in her before. She was growing up before him, experiencing the emotions that made persocoms so human. Her eyes continued to watch him expectantly, hopeful.

"Will you?"

The protégée Chobits bent forward to kiss her forehead, "Of course I will."

Immediately, he removed his dark winter coat, setting on the ground and motioning for Dita to place the animal on the coat. She did so, her finger as gentle as he'd ever seen them.

The tall, crimson-eyed persocom proceeded to scan the creature in front of him, his eyes glazing over as his programs ran their course, "It's a cat. A kitten to be exact. And it has a broken leg."

"Can you fix it?"

He looked at her fixedly, surprised at the amount of concern her eyes held, "Yes," he said, beginning to look for and download a veterinary file on fixing broken bones, "But I'll need you to get me a few supplies first."

"Ok," she said, leaning over to plug herself into his ear socket, letting him relay the information to her. Once received, she nodded determinedly and ran off.

OoO

Why? She had been asking herself that question a billion times. She felt giddy, almost dizzy, with the barrage of emotions whirling inside her, and she couldn't understand them. All directed at the kitten, and strong. What she did know, though, was that they were nowhere near as strong as those she felt around Zima. She had never realized how strong those were, not having a way of comparison. She did now, and knew. But the feelings she got around Zima were always soft, and warm, if confusing.

But why? She wasn't supposed to be able to feel anything. So why could she feel? And worse of all, if she actually could feel, why could she not recognize the emotions? It was hard to walk around with a billion incomprehensible emotions swirling inside you.

Dita sighed to herself. She wanted to talk to Zima about it. Of course, knowing him though, he'd probably only make matters more confusing by asking her all these questions… he could never be straightforward.

Clutching the plastic bag in her arms closer, she slid into the alley Zima was waiting for her in, and skidded to a stop in front of him. The National Data Bank was currently attempting to keep the black kitten warm by breathing on it. Though persocoms did not breathe, all machines needed a ventilation system, to cool their inner machinery, and in persocoms, that function had been adapted to be like breathing.

"I got the stuff," she dumped the bag's contents on the ground- a first aid kits, disinfectant, a flat piece of wood that would be used to keep the broken leg in place as it healed.

Zima nodded and set to work immediately, disinfecting and cleaning the bleeding leg and ebbing the flow, following the directions from the file. Glancing up, he blinked at finding her kneeling next to him, looking on anxiously at the process. Anxious? He shook his head and focused on his work.

"Does… it hurt?"

Zima glanced at her for a second, then returned to the cat, "I'm sure it does. But the kitten's unconscious, so hopefully it doesn't feel it," he added as he saw her bite her lip.

The process seemed to take forever to Dita, though in reality it only was about an hour. But to her, it seemed to take all day, and the whole time, there was something fluttering in her stomach, making her feel nervous and sick.

"Are you almost done?"

"Almost," the patient answer came, though it had to be the eighth time it'd been asked.

The diminutive persocom sat back on her haunches, patience sustained only by a thin thread.

Finally though, Zima sighed, as all that was left was to bandage the piece of wood the leg. Taking the gauze in his hands, he was about to begin when he was stopped by Dita's small hand on his, and he looked up to her deep ruby-jeweled eyes, reflecting such a surprising amount of concern that he breathed in sharply out of surprise.

"Can… can I help?" she took the gauze out of his hands, glancing at him for affirmation.

"Course, love," he murmured, watching her intensely as she gently bandaged the leg to the supporting plywood, tiny hands coursing carefully in their work. Finishing, she lifted up the sleeping kitten in her arms again, mindful of its leg.

A small mew suddenly drew her attention back to her arms, to find large golden eyes blinking sleepily up at her.

"Zima! It woke up!" he relished in the childish tone of excitement and wonder in her voice.

"Good," he nodded, pleased.

The black kitten with the golden eyes meowed again, and Dita watched, fascinated, and suddenly yelped as it licked her hand, small, sandpapery tongue lapping her hand repeatedly.

"I think it—she—likes you," Zima grinned. Dita just watched the kitten, blinking as it closed its eyes and went back to sleep.

"It fell asleep."

The tall, dark haired persocom sighed tiredly, leaning back onto the building, "Come here, love. I want to sleep too."

"You don't need me to go to sleep,"his fiery-tempered companionraised her eyebrows, but obeyed nonetheless.

"Yes I do," he pouted, "I need someone to cuddle up with."

The attack persocom shrugged to herself, settling into his open arms and burrowing herself into him, black-furred kitten still safely tucked into her arms. She loved the warm, safe feeling she got with him, but couldn't understand the reason that heat was rising in her face just looking up at him. So much she didn't understand… How could she ever return his love if she couldn't understand it?

"So, are you going to name it?"

Dita glanced up at him, as her gaze had settled on the sleeping animal in her arms, "What?"

"Well, you are going to keep it, aren't you? At least until its leg is healed, right?" he grinned at her, the eagerness in his voice hinting at her that he wanted to keep it as well.

"I guess," she tilted her head to the side.

"So, what are you going to name her?" he repeated.

"Um…" she hesitated, searching for an appropriate name, andthen aslow smile played upon her lips, "How about Christmas?"

Zima chuckled, the low sound emitted from deep in his chest andrumbling through Dita's body made her feel comfortable, "That's a wonderful name. If you want, tomorrow we could look for some things for it."

"Like what?" ruby jewels snuggled closer, her voice mildly curious.

"What do you mean what?" the larger persocom tugged one of Dita's dark locks in playful remonstration, "Like food, and a collar, and toys."

"They need all that?" she blinked. Zima lifted a hand to pet the kitten's head carefully.

"It is a kitten, why not pamper it? Or do you want to be pampered too?"

"I don't care," she answered, but by the tone of her voice Zima knew she did.

"Of course you do, love," he chuckled again, trailing gentle, teasing kisses down her hair and forehead to her nose and neck, gazing at her warmly, "You know I'd do anything to make you happy."

At this point, Dita looked up, searching his face and crimson eyes for anything that she could recognize, but all she saw was the same thing she always did—the emotion he had told her was called love. The same warm gaze that made her melt inside inexplicably.

"Zima… what would make you happy?"

The National Data Bank stared, knowing his eyes had widened a fraction of an inch. Her soft voice repeated itself in his head, and he suddenly smiled widely, "You, of course."

Her gaze turned into one of annoyance, "I'm serious," she said, twisting around completely so that now she was straddling him, a motion so perfect she hadn't even upset the sleeping animal in her arms, and glared at him, "I'm serious," she repeated, "I want to…" her voice faded slightly, the edge gone and replaced by tenderness, "I want to repay you… I want to make you happy too…"

"Just doing that makes me happy love. Just being with you, and looking at you. Every time I wake up, and I find my adorable little Dita in my arms, I am happy. You are my happiness love. Without you, I'd cease to function," he said seriously, watching her shocked reaction at his words.

"…Don't say that…" she whispered, looking away. He frowned.

"What?"

"Don't say you'd cease to function… I… I don't like thinking about that happening," her eyes glazed slightly, and she looked even further away, "It… makes me feel something bad inside… I don't like it."

He sighed, gathering his Dita in his arms again, "Poor love."

"Why?"

"Because you're limited to describing your feelings as good or bad. Whether you like them or not," he answered sadly.

"I like the ones I get when I'm with you… a lot," ruby eyes admitted, looking down, allowing Zima a chance to smile softly.

"Love you," he said simply.

She turned on him abruptly, confusion swimming in her eyes, her gaze desperate for an answer suddenly, "Zima, why do you love me? How can you say you love me, when I can't love you back?"

The plead for a truthful answer, the show of the confusing emotions that seemed to dwell in her supposedly nonexistent heart reached Zima loudly, and he smiled at her, adoring everyone of the human emotions she was so clearly and unknowingly displaying.

"That's easy, love. Because I know you love me. You don't think you do, but I can see through it."

"Really?" it wasn't the answer she was expecting, he knew. In fact, he guessed that his answer didn't solve any of her problems or actually answered her question, but it was the truth. He knew she loved him. How many times had he not logged in to her only to be immersed in a feeling so much like his love for her? He saw his own love for her reflected in her eyes. It was only in actually expressing it and understanding it that she actually had any trouble.

"Thank you," she said, and to the taller Chobit's delight and surprise, a crimson streak tinted her face as she reached up to kiss his cheek quickly, before hurriedly settling her head back on his shoulder.

"No, thank you," he whispered in her ear, nuzzling her gently, feeling immeasurably warmed and grateful by her actions. She had blushed… she had responded to him on her own… even though it was clear in her eyes that she had no idea what she was truly doing or showing. It was part of what he loved in her—she was a beautiful enigma, a character all in her own, more complex than he could ever dream, and he loved every minute he was with her, every chance he got to unravel more of her mysterious and often two-sided personality. It was never dull with her, and though she acted cold, and often didn't return many of the affections he bestowed upon her, when she did, it was more than enough, and for him, it was paradise it self—the happiness that he hoped all persocoms would achieve one day.

Large hands lifted the fiery-tempered persocom's chin to meet his lips, and he kissed her softly, relishing in the warmth and smoothness of her full lips, and she leaned into his kiss in response, memorizing every one of his motions over her lips in her mind and loosing herself in the gentle roughness of his voice as he whispered, "I love you."

Maybe she didn't need to understand her emotions. Maybe all she needed to know was that she wanted to be with him forever, and she loved all his gentle words and caresses, and lived each day for his chaste kisses and teasing murmurs. Maybe for her, love didn't need to be explained or logical, and maybe she didn't need to understand it all to know what it was. She knew now, what she felt, that there was a name for her swirling emotions. Maybe the day would come in which she would understand her feelings better, but for now, she had finally placed a name to the emotions coursing through her. And that was all she needed to respond to him.

"I… think I do too."

Her hesitant voice really did make Zima a very happy man that Christmas day.

Well, I know that was ... erm, odd? I don't know. I had a tough time with them, but I think I'm satisfied with it. I do want to write at least one more chapter. But I hope you liked it.

Responses;

Bluumberry: Thanks! You were my first reviewer! Well, like I said, I think that there's a lot of different sides to Zima and Dita. A lot of innocence and hidden expressions. And yeah, I was trying to show part of their bond with the login thing. A lot of these ideas acutally stemmed from little sentences and stuff I read in other Dita/Zima fics, inclusding yours. I didn't think her reaction to xmas was all that... it came kinda natural, that part did. Your review- the part about what made Zima love Dita- helped SOOO much. I cannot thank you enough for those questions, cause they got my gears working, and they unplugged that nasty writer's block i was having. So thanks, it really shows how much a writer depends on feedback sometimes for the simple plot! And yeah, my descrption of the kitten was really bad. Hehe... --sweatdrops-- I can't wait for your next fic! Ooh, and I finally read the last volume... So CUTE!

Koala: --wide eyed-- thanks! wow, i'm so glad. Of course, it's not like there's that mnay Zima/Dita fics so who knows, there may be someonewho portrays them better than I do, but thanks a lot for the compliment! I hope you liked this chapter as well.

(erm... no name....): Yup, we do need more fics with this couple! Sry I coudln't update before xmas, my excuse is up top --points--

Evil Chibo Wolf:--giggle-- coolname! That's a cool fact, I didn't know that.

Kuroi Kitty: Ooh, what does Kuroi mean? Once again, I woudl have updated sooner, but... --points--

bOw-doWn-tO-KeiKO: Ooh, odd capitalization... anyway... Yeah, they're my fave too! I'm so surprised there isn't more with them, since I owudl have thought everyone would have just adored them, even though they don't appear that much, they're such cool chracters you woudl have thought more people would have liked them. --cried--- it's a cruel world. I like minoru and Yuzu... yuzki... ack, omg, i can't remember her name! Anyway... i like them a lot too.

DeepFreeze27: Imma call you ... heehee... MWAHAHAHAH! I heard you talked to anna yesters. We gotta get togehter. Man, at least use your birthday well! For presents AND friends over. Selfish... heehehee. I love spoilers too. hehehehhe. yeah well, I ALREADY READ alll the frigging Zima/Dita fanfics out there, there's only a few, and I am not in Borders so I can't read that. SO sad, so sad... thanks em. Now, read my GUndam Wing fic. hehe.

Woooo, well, thank you! Love reviews, spread the word of Zima and Dita! Yeah! Happy New Years!