On the way back from the factory, William and Ulrich share a lighter, hands cupped close to block out the wind as they light their cigarettes. Yumi understands them well enough to know they need the comfort of a smoke while out in the city so late at night, especially after a XANA attack like tonight's. They're still a little jumpy, all three of them, and Yumi shoves her hands deep into her jacket pockets to try to keep the bite of the cold from numbing her fingers. William slings his free arm around her shoulders with a grin, and all three of them move in closer to keep the wind chill from seeping too deep into their skin.

"That was a close call," William says, stating the obvious, nonchalantly like he doesn't know it's something neither of them will want to talk about. Yumi sends him a sharp glance but he only offers her the cigarette. She takes it out of habit born of too many late nights spent huddled with one or both of them, sharing a smoke and the sort of truce that only lasts until the last filter is ground out beneath a heel. The taste fills her with the same sort of peace, now, quieter memories replacing the phantoms of the evening.

"I'd rather not talk about it," Ulrich says, a beat too late. She can see the tense set to his jaw as he continues walking, and doesn't miss the way William bumps a shoulder against him to jostle him out of his thoughts. They're really okay now, she realizes with a fresh rush of surprise, as Ulrich just gives him a slight, not-really-annoyed smile and jostles his shoulder back. Everything is okay, now.

She really loves them.

She pauses at the thought and accidentally drops the cigarette. William stops walking and leans in closer to look at her face, and suddenly everything slides into a certain clarity, the kind she's kept at bay for as long as she can remember, the kind of emotions that usually fill her with panic but— now—

William looks at her and the affection reaches deep in his eyes, and Yumiknows. She tilts her head up and kisses him, full on the mouth, his lips parting underneath hers as he bends down to deepen the kiss. When she pulls away, Ulrich's standing to the side, shock and an undercurrent of want in his expression, and William places both hands steady on his shoulders and kisses him — slow and sure, until Ulrich's fingers reach up to grip the folds of his jacket. Yumi breathes out, a slow sigh of relief, and when William and Ulrich pull apart and turn toward her, Ulrich reaching out his other hand in an act of agreement or comfort, she pulls him close and kisses him, too.

"About time," William says, and the amusement in his voice tilts rough and low. Yumi cups a palm to Ulrich's cheek, the cold wind brushing against her knuckles as she keeps him close. She's kissed him before, once, in the aftermath of a XANA attack when she'd thought, maybe, this time it was really the end. They'd never gotten the chance to talk about it, and she'd waited for him to bring it up with less and less hope each time they were alone. There's still a hesitance in his kisses now, his body gone still and tense, like he's thrown all his concentration into making sure he doesn't mess this moment up.

She loves him, she thinks with a rush of exasperated fondness, the nervous dork. Ulrich flinches when William places a hand on his back, and Yumi detangles her fingers from Ulrich's and reaches up to cup his other cheek even as she pulls back to look at William over his shoulder. His expression is rough and open in a way that she feels through her body, a rush of heat along her spine as he wets his lips and presses a kiss to the side of Ulrich's jaw, right below her hand. Ulrich swallows, audibly.

The tension starts to loosen from his body as William rubs circles against his back, mouth still close enough for his breath to ghost warmth over Ulrich's jaw and the back of Yumi's hand. And this time, when Yumi kisses Ulrich again, hard, Ulrich responds with the same amount of force.

He finally reaches out and rests his hands against the small of her back, fingers digging in slightly to the fabric of her shirt when William presses another kiss to the side of his jaw. She drops her hands to press against Ulrich's shoulders for better leverage, a clumsy adjustment but she wants to claim the taste on his tongue, and by the time they break apart again his chest is ballooning against hers as they gasp for air. She tucks her head against his chest, suddenly overwhelmed.

"Yumi?" Ulrich says, once he's caught his breath. William echoes him. The moment stretches out and Yumi finally steps away, hugging her hands to her chest to keep herself warm. Ulrich and William both stare at her in concern, William with his chin tucked onto Ulrich's shoulder until Ulrich shrugs him off in fresh annoyance, and she swallows a laugh and thinks, again, with sharp clarity — I'm in love with these idiots.

"I need to get home," she says, rubbing her shoulders. "If I get caught by my parents I'm never going to be able to explain being out with both of you so late at night."

William grins crooked, the truth to her statement making his eyes flash with heat, and Ulrich swallows, coloring slightly. Yumi steps forward again and takes Ulrich's hand, William stepping around them to throw his arm tight around her shoulders.

They trade a cigarette and brief, new touches all the way back to the street before hers, and warmth blooms solid in her chest even as the night air stays sharp.