Silence is the Key

A/N: I'm too stressed to work on my normal story, so I'm doing this one-shot in hopes that I can write on my other story tomorrow. X3 Again, this is UlrichxOdd so if you don't like it, don't read it.

To the story!

"Odd, it's time to get up," Ulrich stated, shaking his still sleeping roommate until he cracked open his eyes and bounced out of bed.

Odd quickly dressed and shot Ulrich a huge smile before running down the hallway to breakfast.

"Okay, just leave me behind and don't wait up," Ulrich muttered with a short laugh as he ran after Odd. It was Sunday and they had stuff planned for today with their other friends. When they got to the cafeteria Sissi was shouting about something.

"Odd, are you alright?" Aelita asked, walking up to the two and staring at the dumbstruck boy.

He flicked his eyes over to her and nodded. He pointed toward the breakfast line and ran to go get his food.

"What's Sissi doing now?" Ulrich asked as he looked over at Odd and saw him not even begging Rosa for more food.

"She's protesting against the Day of Silence. It shows how insensitive she is," Aelita stated, folding her arms across her chest and huffing. "She hides it every time that a teacher or someone in the faculty is going to see it and anyone that tells on her gets told that they're lying. The teachers don't believe it because she's Delmas's daughter."

"That's stupid," Ulrich stated as they all walked to the breakfast line.

"Yeah, she's just trying to get attention," Jeremie stated.

"Well, won't she get in trouble if she gets caught?" Ulrich asked as they went to go sit at their table and wait for Yumi to arrive.

"She's not physically hurting anyone, so I'm pretty sure she can't," Aelita stated as they sat to Odd shoveling food down his throat.

"I wish that she'd get that by doing what she's doing it just makes us hate her even more then before…" Ulrich said as he looked over at Odd. "What do you think about what Sissi's doing? Normally you'd be all over this conversation."

Odd pointed toward his throat and made an 'x' with his fingers.

"You can't talk?" Aelita asked him as she took a bite of the food in front of her.

He nodded and continued eating.

"So we can't count on you to insult Sissi today," Jeremie said, pulling out his laptop.

Odd shook his head and looked at his food. After a few seconds he grabbed a sheet of paper from his backpack and began writing something on it.

"Do we know when Yumi's getting here?" Ulrich asked, looking around the cafeteria and making a face when Sissi winked at him.

Odd shoved the paper into his face and blocked his view.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, taking the paper and pulling it downward so he could read it. It said:

It's not that I can't talk. I just refuse to. Today is the Day of Silence. I'm gay. I'm standing up for myself and if Sissi doesn't shut up soon I'm going to punch in her in the mouth.

"Well you're violent today," Ulrich stated as he showed Jeremie and Aelita the note.

Odd stuck his tongue out at him in response and then continued eating.

"So does anyone other than us know?" Aelita asked after breakfast while they waited for Yumi.

Odd shrugged his shoulders and began doodling.

-Break-

Ulrich walked between his and Odd's bed. Back and forth… Back and forth… Pacing and thinking upon a feeling that kept creeping up on his. More so today than any other day it had happened… It was like butterflies fluttering around in his stomach…

On and off for awhile now the brunette had been having these feelings… He'd only ever felt this way about one other person and wouldn't admit the truth to what he was feeling… He couldn't… If he was gay or bi his dad would probably disown him. He'd get kicked off the soccer team… People would be disgusted… People would-

"Hey, it was hard being quiet all day!" Odd exclaimed as he threw himself onto his bed. "Not to mention exhausting and… Oh! You have that look on your face!"

"What're you talking about, Odd? And I thought you were being quiet today," Ulrich said, making his expression un-readable.

"Since it fell on Sunday this year I decided to be quiet for what I normally would be. Just during school hours. And it's the face you make when you're thinking about Yumi," Odd replied nonchalantly as he picked up a video game.

"Hey Odd, can I ask you something?" Ulrich asked, sitting down on his bed and staring up at the ceiling. He knew he needed to focus and make sure he didn't make that face again.

"Sure, but if you make it a homework question then you'd better ask Jeremie because you know my grades," he replied as he began playing the game in his hands.

Odd stuck his tongue out and pushed his lips into it, seemingly thinking on something. "I guess it was… A few months before I came to Kadic. If only Adele hadn't burned all the pictures from those days I'd show you what I used to look like. None of you would believe it was me. Anyway, what really started it was the fact that I'd had one girlfriend and I just wasn't in love… There was this one guy in my class…" Odd paused, lost in thought, for a few moments before beginning again, "I'm not going to describe him to you since you probably don't care.

"This guy was one of my best friends back then. I'd had a harsh break-up with a girl and he was there. I went to a public school and we walked to school together every day. But, when that one girl broke up with me it broke me to pieces. I couldn't get myself out of bed. I was devastated. That friend of mine, Emilio, came everyday to try and cheer me up and to bring me my homework.

"A week into everything he was at the house and my dad was at work and mom had taken the girls out to go get dresses for something or other. Emilio and I were alone in the house, doing homework. I guess just having him there next to me started it… From that day, and a week after it, I tried to get Emilio to consider dating me. We'd been friends since elementary school and so I thought he might. We dated, but ended up breaking up when my parents decided to send me here," Odd explained as he played his game.

"So are you and Emilio still friends or did you break everything off?" Ulrich asked. He felt his chest tighten. He knew he liked Odd now.

"We still talk from time-to-time. Not as often as we used to, but we do. Can I ask you a question now?" Odd asked, pausing the game and sitting up to look at his best friend.

"I don't mind…"

"Then I have two. One at a time, though. Do you get what the Day of Silence is really about?"

"Not really. All I know is that it stands up for not straight people."

"That, but the reason that we're silent is to signify the people that have been silenced for good. The people that ended up dead because of the bullying. Do you get that, Ulrich? People like me end up dead everyday because of people that don't understand or are afraid of us… Mom and Dad said that they thought coming to Kadic would be the best thing for me after I told them, but after this morning with Sissi…"

"After this morning with Sissi you're staying here," Ulrich stated forcefully.

"My parents may not seem it, but I've got basically all the freedom I want until it comes to when they think I might be in danger. No doubt they heard about Sissi's little commotion. They always seem to know what's going on… They may pull me out of Kadic…" Odd whispered, hugging his knees.

"Odd, you've got us to protect you… Me, Yumi, and Aelita will make sure no one hurts you…" he said softly as he came and sat down next to the blonde.

"Tell that to my parents. I know you guys will."

-Break-

That day had changed Ulrich's life… Silence could be one of the biggest protests… Some people don't understand the impact of the Day of Silence. Ulrich knew that. A lot of people wear bright colored clothing to stick themselves out there and make sure that their voice is heard.

He knew that he wouldn't be able to go back once he made his decision, but his choice was clear… He loved Odd and wanted to always be with him…

Eventually he'd have the guts to tell Odd…

A/N: I wanted to post this. I think that the ending is better than the beginning. XD Umm… Day of Silence was yesterday (April 15th, 2011). I participated at school and you don't even know how hard it was to keep from talking. A lot of people will put duct tape over their mouth or something, though. I didn't. XD

Read and review!

~MoonlitxAngel