"All the other kids with the-"
"Odd?"
"-pumped up kicks better run-"
"Odd, turn it down!"
"faster than my gun, all the other-
"Dude! Odd!"
"-faster than my laser arrows!"
"Odd Della-Robbera, if you don't turn that music down this second, I will never give you my helping of mash potatoes ever again!"
Silence.
Odd Della-Robbera turned around and grinned at the three people staring at him from the doorway. Jeremie still had his fingers stuffed in his ears, while Ulrich and Aelita had made a race to see who could get to Odd's CD player first to turn it off. Neither won, of course, since Odd had shut it off the second he had heard Jeremie's threat. How could anyone survive without mash potatoes, he didn't know. But it was a good offer. His grinned widened, and he relaxed against the side of his bed.
"Jeez, man, are you trying to keep the whole dorm awake?" Ulrich asked, glaring at his roommate as he and the other two moved in and shut the door. "We've been banging on the door for at least five minutes." He grinned at the pink-haired girl who was now standing next to Jeremie. "Good to know we have a lock pick in the group."
Aelita blushed, then grinned. "I learned from the best,' she said, and winked. "Yumi's brother."
Ulrich made a mock shudder as the other three laughed. "There's a fooze-ball challenge going on in the wreak room in five minutes," he continued, and smirked at his best friend. "You gonna get your butt whooped again?"
Odd put his hands on his hips and stuck his nose in the air. "For your information, you three, I should have won fair and square last time."
"Yeah, right," Aelita retorted, raising an eyebrow. "You tried to trip up Jeremie twice." She looked at her friend, and smiled. "You are going to play, right Jeremie?"
For a moment, the young man shifted nervously and fidgeted with his glasses. "Well, I uh…" He hated disappointing her, but he had so much work to do! There was the anti-virus, the fight against X.A.N.A, plus school work.
"Come on, Einstein, live a little!" Odd chimed in, going over to shove Jeremie lightly on the shoulder. He grinned slyly at him. "If you win, maybe Princess could kiss you for defending her honor."
"Odd!' Jeremie turned beet red and Aelita went as pink as her hair. Ulrich and Odd sniggered at their reaction.
"Never mind," Ulrich said after a second, still grinning. "Let's go, before Herve and Sissy try to take it over."
Odd nodded and the two walked out. Aelita hesitated, looking from Jeremie to the door and back again. She winced, seeing the sad look on his face. He worked so hard, put so much into everything. Her heart fell, knowing there was little she could do to convince him.
"Well," Jeremie said after a minute. "I should get back." Aelita's eyes were downcast, but she smiled brightly at him. The young genius wanted to hit himself for disappointing her again, but what else could he do? "Maybe…maybe I'll come down in a little while to see how the game is going," he added, and was rewarded with seeing Aelita's face light up. His heart stopped, as it always did for a few moments, when she smiled at him like that.
"That would be wonderful!" Beaming still, Aelita kissed him lightly on the cheek and slipped out of the room.

The first game had ended, and Aelita had ducked away from the madness. The boys were absolutely scary sometimes, she thought wryly, shaking her head. Watching the game from a safe distance, her mind started to drift, as it often did, toward a certain blue-eyed genius. Sighing, she rested her chin on her hands. It had been more than three years since the start of the war against X.A.N.A, and the pressure on their group had only grown. Sometimes she worried- no, she knew- that Jeremie tried to shoulder it all himself. Her heart hurt, wishing she could help him somehow. There was more to life than research and war. Of only there was a way to get Jeremie to see that as well.
"Why the long face, Princess?"
Aelita jumped about a foot, and looked up to see Odd standing over her, still panting from winning against Ulrich and another boy who Aelita didn't know. She smiled a little at her friend, then shrugged. Not swayed by her non-committal reaction, Odd grinned and sat down on the couch next to her.
"Let me guess," he said, leaning back and stroking his chin as if he had a goatee. "Do your thoughts start with a J and end with e, and happen to be blond and really, really stressed-out?"
Aelita blushed, and smiled wryly. Of course Odd would know. Was it really that obvious to the others that she cared about Jeremie? Why then, did Jeremie himself, not ever seem to notice when she tried, and failed, to show him how she felt about him. "Odd, you're so happy all the time," she started, then winced at how stupid the statement had sounded. "I mean…I want to help Jeremie, I don't know-" she gestured vaguely, and Odd grinned.
"Let loose?"
Aelita nodded. "Yes, thank you. I don't know how to make him happy, and I don't want him to worry so much-"
Odd held up a finger. "Pardon me, Princess, but I think you do make him happy." Aelita blushed a little and Odd's smile widened. "Einstein shoulders crap he shouldn't. You do too," he added, raising his eyebrows at her. "But it's not as extreme. Jeremie…hm…" He tapped his chin for a second, then his face lit up. "I got it!" He snapped his fingers. "Listen to me, Princess, and Einstein will be the happiest man alive."
Aelita raised her eyebrows at him. "Oh, really?" Knowing Odd, a part of her was starting to regret asking him for advice. Oh, well.
Odd nodded, his purple eyes wide with mischief and excitement. "Oh, yeah. Okay, here's what you do-"