Behind These Brown Eyes

Author's Note: I dedicate this to my own brother, Andrew. Though he's an annoying older brother, I'll still love him, as it's fun to pounce and humiliate him when he comes home. Haha. Jkjk… But I love him anyway.

This was just a random thing that came to me… -sweatdrop- It was quickly written, a random piece, but I hope you like it anyway! It's kind of sad, but oh well…

UxY! Makes up for the long lost fluff in FAFDM... enjoy!

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Behind Yumi's dark brown eyes laid kindness, sensitivity, and a sweet heart. Looking at these words, you may laugh hysterically, and say that it is false, Yumi is as tough as a boot, hard as a rock, and shows no kindness, especially to Sissy. Yumi is tough when she needs to be, to protect her family and friends. But inside, deep inside, she was one of the sweetest girls you'd ever meet, standing up to anyone who harmed her family and friends. Behind those brown eyes, you'd meet a completely new person, someone kind and caring.

Yumi POV

Life was falling, caving in quickly yet gradually.

It was ever since XANA had quickened his pace. His attacks happened more frequently, and we barely get any sleep.

But today. Oh, yes. Today, XANA had gone too far. Today, my life wasn't gradually falling. It took a big downfall. It was unexpected, like the Twin Towers in 9/11. It was unexpected, an airplane flew, and it collapsed. Thousands of people were hurt, physically and emotionally.

Hiroki, my four-year old brother, was unexpectedly hurt. Not by an airplane, by XANA, a computer-brain gas-like creature that took over a virtual world called Lyoko. And Hiroki collapsed. My family was hurt emotionally. Hiroki was hurt physically. Horribly.

Hiroki was an annoying 4-year old brother. He taunted me, he made fun of me, he humiliated me in front of my friends with my endless crush on Ulrich. But I still loved him. Why? He was my brother. And I would love him no matter what.

Today it got personal. Today. XANA… how could "he" do such a thing? His evil doings were never this personal. But today, that changed. Today it got personal. I always thought XANA was just a load of shit. But today, man. A load of shit wasn't even close to what I feel. I swore in Japanese, words horrid and intolerant. My parents didn't scold me. They swore under their breath as well, tears rolling down their face. They didn't know whom I was swearing for. It wasn't just some random illness that attacked Hiroki. It was XANA.

At dinner, Hiroki started choking. I guess it was normal for a four year old to choke on something big, but the thing was… there was nothing in his mouth. He had started screaming right before he started choking. And I swear, for a split second, I saw black gas wrap around his throat. Then the gas split in half, and went down the poor boy's throat. Hiroki collapsed, and fell, his eyes flowing with tears, as he yearned for valuable air.

"HIROKI!" Mama had cried, she rushed to her only son, clapping his back forcefully, trying to get the food or whatever he swallowed out. But Hiroki hadn't swallowed anything. XANA was the one choking him.

Papa rushed to the scene, speaking soothingly, and praying that Hiroki would be all right.

"CALL 911, YUMI!" He called fearfully at me. I was frozen in place. Then I rushed to the phone.

I dialed as fast as my fingers would allow.

As soon as I gave the man my address, I pleaded, "PLEASE! Come quick, my brother is dying as we speak!"

He didn't pester for more information from me.

The ambulance was blaring in seconds, and they laid Hiroki on the stretcher.

"Follow in your car; hurry!" The man holding the stretcher rushed.

Hiroki was still choking, he was trying to swallow the object, in hopes it would go away afterwards.

It helped that the hospital was only a few seconds away from our house.

And now, here I am, in the Waiting Room, waiting. Just waiting for the past 20 minutes.

Would Hiroki die? Why did XANA do such a thing?

Slowly, I took out my cell phone to call Ulrich.

I dialed the number by heart, and waited for him. One ring… two ring…

"Yumi?" answered his smooth voice, "What's up?"

"Ulrich…" I could barely talk, my voice was raspy, and I swallowed my tears that were threatening to erupt. Just hearing his voice made me calm down just a bit.

"Hiroki…" I managed to choke out, "XANA… Emergency Room… Lyoko!"

Those were the keywords of the situation, and being Ulrich, he understood. It frightened me sometimes, just knowing he could practically understand anything I uttered.

"Hiroki… he's in the Emergency Room? XANA's doing?" I could hear the downfall in Ulrich's voice, and I was touched he cared about my brother, "Do you want me to come over?"

I nodded, which made me blush. He couldn't see me over the phone, I realized. "I-It doesn't matter." I felt bad, as I knew Ulrich was needed more on Lyoko than here to comfort me.

"Okay, I'm coming. I'll call Jeremie first." He replied, "I'll be there in a minute."

I stared at the phone for a few minutes, wondering what to do now. I do wish that Ulrich came, it would help to have a shoulder to cry on. But I knew he was needed on Lyoko more than to help me through my troubles.

I safely tucked my phone into my jacket pocket, as I stared off into space.

Then the door opened, to reveal Ulrich. He was panting, his face red from the cold. He held onto the doorway, smiling slightly at me.

I smiled back, the first time I had since what felt like eternity. His smile was full of warmth, which made the white-walled room seem just a little brighter, in my perspective.

"Yumi!" He seemed glad to see me.

"Hey," I looked down at the floor. I knew if I looked at him, I would start crying, and I would blush.

"Is Hiroki okay?" He asked, taking a seat next to me. He casually placed a hand on my clasped, sweaty hands.

"I'm not sure," I replied honestly, "I hope so..."

"I have to go in a minute or so, Jeremie needs me to go to Lyoko."

"Okay." I tore my gaze off my black boots and looked at Ulrich, "Thanks for coming. It really means a lot to me."

"No problem. Hiroki was a really cool kid," He answered. And I knew he was saying it honestly.

"Hey, Yumi... I wanted to-" He began.

His mobile began to ring, cutting him off. He looked apologetically at me, and answered the phone, "Hey."

After a minute he replied, "Yeah. I'm coming."

He turned to look at me, "Jeremie needs me on Lyoko. Will you be okay?"

I nodded. Then he stood up and began walking to the door.

"Wait!" I called, raising my hand, and taking myself off the seat. I was strained, depressed... I needed someone. This feeling of hopelessness... I was drowning in my own sea of tears, and I was losing to the water. I was dying.

I ran up to him, and enveloped him into a big bear hug. Not a regular friend hug. A hug filled with sorrow, desire, wanting... love.

I clinged onto his loose, forest-green T-Shirt, placing my head on his shoulder, sniffing, my heart sinking. I felt like I was sinking as I held onto him. I clutched his shirt harder, my knuckles turning white. It was as if I suddenly let go, he would vanish- and I would be alone in the world. Again.

Salty tears ran down my cheeks; I could feel them dissolve in my mouth, and land on Ulrich's shirt. He didn't seem to mind. A shiver ran up and down my spine.

We looked at each other for a few seconds. It was an awkward, romantic moment that could be an Oscar-winning scene. Slowly, we began leaning in, my tears stopped in its tracks, as I caught my breath and couldn't swallow. The moment I've wanted for so long... I didn't know whether to be upset or happy. Such a happy scene in a depressed play.

Our lips caught into a serene, passionate kiss. My arms ended up around his neck, and I never wanted to let go. The tears began to run down my face again. I was so happy, but never more depressed in my life. It wasn't a deep kiss, it was soft and sweet. Our lips lingered there, only to savour the taste and the feeling.

After a few seconds, we let go of each other and Ulrich opened the door, seeming reluctant and regretful to leave a pitiful, drowning girl alone.

"I-I love you, Yumi." He stared sincerely into my dark brown eyes, as I stared after him, too shocked to even gape.

"I-I... I..." I gasped, tears still running down my cheeks. Some from happiness, others from sadness. "I... love you too..." I whispered into the air as he closed the door, off to save my brother from the clutches of XANA. He was really a fairytale's knight- my shining knight in armour. It was corny, but my mind was still clouded by tonight's turbulence.

I stood in complete shock, then as if in a trance, went back to sit down.

Then I went into a train of thought. I had some minor thoughts about Ulrich; yes, but I could deal with them later. I mean, Ulrich wasn't going anywhere. However, Hiroki might be dead in the next few minutes.

I wanted to go to Lyoko to fight XANA. It was only right… to fight for my little brother. But what if Hiroki died? I wouldn't even have a chance to say anything to him before he left the world… I had to stay here and wait, Ulrich and Odd were strong, and they could handle without me.

Mama and Papa had gone inside the Emergency Room without me. I wasn't allowed to go inside now, they had said. I wonder why, but it left my mind quickly. I didn't really want to see Hiroki in all his misery. I would go in when they allowed me to.

There was silence, I was sitting all alone in the Waiting Room, tapping my foot. I guess no one was here because there was an infirmary at Kadic. There was no reason for the students to go to the hospital unless it was urgent.

Then ringing pierced through the air, and cut the silence in half as I rummaged my pocket for the cell.

"Yumi!" The voice exclaimed.

"Jeremie?" I asked, confused. Why would Jeremie call me? Did he need a hand on Lyoko?

"What's up? Anything wrong?" I questioned, twiddling with my thumbs and looking around the blank room.

"You were right. XANA choked Hiroki, and there was an activated tower. But I just figured out why XANA attacked your brother," He answered. I heard the keyboard tapping, and Odd's voice. He was probably contacting Jeremie from Lyoko.

"Why?"

"You see, XANA attacked Hiroki to lure you away from Lyoko," He continued, "With only two people defending Aelita, it would be-"

"Yumi!" The nurse called, walking into the Waiting Room, "You can come inside now."

"Hey, Jer, I got to go," I signaled to the nurse that I would be there in a second, "I'll see you later, okay? Bye!"

I hung up before he could utter another word, and followed the nurse down two halls to see my brother.

The nurse opened the door for me, and I stepped inside, observing the surroundings.

The walls were blank, completely white. I shivered, though the heater was on. The white made me think of death, and it wasn't pleasant. Decorated along the walls were a few happy drawings kids had drawn for them.

Two doctors by Hiroki's side, and Mama and Papa were on the edge.

"Yumi!" Mama cried, enveloping me in a big bear hug. Her eyes were gleaming with tears.

"Is he okay?" I asked anxiously.

I stood next to the doctor, and grabbed Hiroki's hand. It was ice cold, and sent shivers down my spine as I continuously thought of XANA. I hate you, I hate you, I hate you. I sent a mental message to XANA, not like the demented thing could read it.

"Your brother is in horrible condition." The doctor looked at my brother mournfully, "We cannot guarantee his survival."

My eyes filled with tears, as I looked at Hiroki. He was so small and fragile, just laying there on the bed.

"We are making him sleep so he wont feel any pain." The doctor explained, "We're going to find out what happened to him. He is breathing fine right now with the help of our machinery, but he is unconscious."

I squeezed Hiroki's hand and allowed a solitary tear run down my cheek. I was sorry for all the times I yelled at him. For all the times we argued. For all the times I wanted to kill him.

I forgave him for all the times he has humiliated me. I didn't care anymore.

"I love you."

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I know. It was really abrupt, but that's how I'd like it to end. The ending is your choice, whether her brother dies or if he survives. I hope you like it, even if it is quite sad. Please review!

--Jenn