Ulrich stretched himself out for a morning run, trying not to wake Odd or Kiwi, trying not to think. Trying not to feel. Unfortuanately, he was unsuccessful in two of the three areas. His friends slept on, but his thoughts and feelings rushed in and out and around his head, each pounding to be heard.
You're an orphan. You'll never see your parents again. Who cares? Yumi thinks you're a loser. She thinks you're going to give up. Who cares about Yumi? The longer you stay a part of this team, the more danger your friends will be in. You want to stay, but it's just too risky. Who cares about Lyoko? You're an orphan.
As if running from the thoughts pelting his skull, Ulrich ran. He sprinted solidly, paying close attention to his feet pounding on the pavement and leaves and branches, his breath pounding out his lungs, out his mouth, out his mind. His blood through his veins. His sweat down his neck. His tears behind his lids, refusing to fall, even as he gave in and tried to let them.
Yumi.
"Watch out, Ulrich!" she cried, sounding exasperated and amused at the same time. "Watch where you're running! And who runs with their eyes closed anyway?"
Ulrich opened his eyes and saw Yumi, distorted by the film of tears in his eyes, looking at him with curious, concerned eyes. And finally let go.
Yumi blinked as Ulrich started to cry, right there on the ground, and was surprised to realize that she never had seen him cry before. She was even more surprised to notice that she liked him when he cried. That she wanted to help.
Not entirely aware of her motions, she bent down next to Ulrih and held him tight to her, even as great rasping shudders dissolved him into nothing more than a wretch, a shell of the strong warrior she'd come to appreciate. Heck, she thought. To love. She loved the shell and held it until it filled with Ulrich again, and continued to hold him until he stirred.
"Better?" she asked quietly, unsure of what to do with this new love.
"A little," he answered, not sure of it even as he said it. All he knew was that she had been there for him, even knowing that he could leave her. That, until that moment, would leave her. With his new clarity, he saw himself, and Yumi without feeling. He saw her love for him, unsure and new, and more surprisingly, a reflected love in his heart.
"Yumi?"
"Hm?"
"I won't leave you behind," he said firmly. "I'm going to stay and take XANA down with you. And he's going to go hard."
"Ulrich?"
"Yes?"
"We should probably tell the others."
"Yeah. I guess we should."
Authors note: Really short, I know, but I plan to do a sequel to make up for it. I have no idea what's going to happen, except XANA's going down (hard), and there will be a love triangle mixed in with this. It'll be longer, I promise!