Reload (The Matrix FF)

The Reason Why I Smile

...and also why I'm disappointed in younger me

     When Amy woke up in the Neb, Mouse was cleaning her wounds. Mouse looked up and met her eyes. He smiled shyly, blushed, and looked away to continue what he was doing.

     *He's so adorable, with his soft smile and cute blush,* Amy thought as Mouse left to clean the towel that was full of blood stains.

    "How're you doing, Ellie?" Tank grinned.

    "Better now, thank you," Amy replied.

     "He really loves you," Dozer began, nodding at Mouse. "He insisted that we send him back into the Matrix. And the first thing that he did when he got back was help you. I know you won't, but don't hurt him. Kid's more fragile than he seems."

    "Especially when it comes to love," Tank added.

     "Wouldn't dream of it," Amy promised. Amy walked over to Mouse, who was sitting at his computer.

    "Hey," Amy greeted quietly, sitting next to him.

    "How do you feel?" Mouse asked, concerned.

    "Alive, thanks to you," Amy smiled, taking his hand in both of hers. A blush crept onto Mouse's face. "How do you feel around me?"

     "W-what do you mean?" he stammered, the blush turning brighter.

    "Well, sometimes you're completely casual, but at times, like now, you seem so nervous," Amy explained.

     "Well... I, um..." Mouse began, blushing like mad, "I'm happy when I'm with you, Amy. I-I just don't know how to act without... you..."

    "Without me thinking less of you?" Amy guessed.

     "Y-yeah..." Mouse confirmed.

    "Why would you think that? I'd never judge you based on how you act around me. I only judge people based on how they treat me. So you don't have to worry," Amy smiled. Her smile always made Mouse content. Seeing Amy happy was what meant the most to him.

     "So, um, about what happened in the Matrix a few minutes ago..." Mouse brought up.

    "What about it?" Amy pondered.

    "W-what you did before we returned here," Mouse continued.

    "Well... let's just say that I've wanted to do that, for a while now," Amy admitted.

     "Really?" Mouse asked excitedly, a curious and innocent look on his face. Amy giggled softly at this, causing Mouse to glance into her eyes, then away, with a heavy blush.

    "Yeah... You made being here seem, well, not so scary. Everyone was so serious when I first got here. And that's how I thought life was: absolutely humorless. But then, you were just there acting like anyone your age. Which was the exact opposite of... people," Amy explained. "You helped to balance out how distant and unfeeling I was. And I guess I fell for you because of that."

     "W-wow... I had no idea that I had such an impact on you," Mouse sighed.

    "Well, I'm gonna go and make more Dust," Amy decided, standing up. Mouse pulled Amy back down to kiss her again.

     "Really, Mouse, I'm the persistent one?" Amy laughed when they pulled back. Mouse smiled fondly into her eyes.

    "Honestly, I don't know what I'd do without you, Amy," Mouse confessed. Amy hugged him before leaving.

     Mouse smiled as he watched Amy walk to her room. Mouse remembered when not too long ago, he had watched Amy walk away with a seemingly unrequited love in his eyes. But now, he knew that Amy would always return his smiles.

    Then, a message appeared on Mouse's computer screen.

     "You're the reason why I smile."

    Mouse quickly turned to Amy. Her phone was in her hand, seeing as how she had sent the message from it. Amy gave a sweet smile. It was the smile that always made Mouse's heart beat faster.

    Mouse sighed when Amy entered and closed the door to her room.