Author: TippierCoffee

Disclaimer: I do not own—nor do I claim the rights to—any of the characters from the show Codename: Kids Next Door. All credit goes to rightful owner: Mr. Tom Warburton.

LTLY series: 1. Learning To Love You; 2. Again; 3. Alone; 4. Ever After.

OBS: I gave Wally's parents names. Mum: Kayla Beetles, Dad: Wilbert Beetles.

Enjoy :)

Hospital V.

Tuesday, May 22nd.

Days passed with steady progress. A number of days in a row, Kuki had to make room for the Beetles family to celebrate Wally sliding back into the conscious world. From time to other he would ask both them and Kuki about things they knew nothing about. Nonsensical things he must have dreamt. Some days, when he'd been sleeping for most of the day, he'd ask Kuki if she were real once he saw her. He still tried to tell dream from reality, and reality from dream. It got better with the days, and he seemed less confused. Almost three weeks went by like that. He was kept in the hospital for a more gliding transition, and to help him retrain the limbs he hadn't used while he was out cold.

The door creaked on its hinges when Kuki entered. She noticed the creaking a few days prior and always forgot to tell the nurses, despite how many times she told herself she should. Wally hated the creaking, he told her so himself two days ago. She'd tell them today when she left—hopefully.

"Hey." Kuki closed the door behind her and sent Wally a careful smile.

He held up a finger, as if to tell her one moment, while he finished reading a Get-well-soon-card his family had given him. Kuki observed his eyes glide over the text, a guilty smile crawling onto his lips. Once he finished, it seemed he reread it once, before he finally put the card on the night table which was flowing over with flowers and greeting cards, and turned his head to look at her.

"Hey." he smiled.

"How are you doing today?"

"Better. I'm starting to get a better grip of reality, and reading all these notes all my class mates mailed me. Catching up with school work, preparing for exam. Teachers asked me to hand in a few assignments per mail to assert whether or not I'd be ready for exams. They estimated I'd be able to take my exams with everyone else if I'm out by that time, and if I'm not, I'll get to go to make-up exams."

"And that makes you calm?"

"Are you kidding?" Wally tossed his hands in the air, "I was starting to worry about having to retake while the rest of you went on to junior year.

"Oh, I see." she pulled the chair next to him, by the night stand, and put her hands in her lap, "I'm glad you get to continue with us as well. It's be weird not having you around."

"They said I probably should quit football though. If I get tackled and damage my ribs, they're worried it might be fatal due to this damage. I dunno… but I guess I better listen to them. Sucks though."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

Kuki looked down on her shoes, feeling guilt take a hold of her with disgustingly cold hands. She swung her legs from side to side, not knowing what to say- or do next. In all honesty, she wished she could vent about their classmates who hardly left her alone, once the news about Wally waking up started spreading through the school. She wasn't sure how much he'd like it, seeing as he was just coming to and not confusing dream and reality as much anymore. Maybe she'd wait a week more before she let it all out, just to make sure he was all there and ready for it.

"They actually advised me to take it easy with heavy exercise for the first two weeks after I come out."

"When do they let you out?" the question left her lips before she realised it.

"Dunno." Wally shrugged, reaching over to take the box of chocolate Kuki, Hoagie, Abby, Nigel, and Rachel got him. "I hope soon. Getting cruddy bored in here."

Kuki gave a silent nod, still unsure what to say to him. She had so many questions, and all of them she still felt like pushing off until he felt much better. Not that he didn't seem to be doing well, she just didn't want to accidentally stress him with unnecessary questions.

"Chocolate?" Wally offered.

"Thanks." she smiled, taking one of the chocolates.

When she bit into it, a liquid cherry-flavoured filling exploded in her mouth. Sweet and delicious. They sat for a while in silence, chewing their chocolates while trying not to spill the liquid from inside.

"Tell you the truth," Wally said after a while, "I feel a little nervous about the exams. Even though the teachers think I'll do fine, I have no one to read- or practise with. Since I've been absent for so long, I think it'd be really nice for me to have someone."

"I wouldn't mind reading with you." Kuki blurted, a chip of chocolate falling into her lap. "There's also revision with teachers the last two weeks, before the two week study break. If you're well enough to go by then, it might be worth checking out."

"Are you going?" he offered the box to her so she could get a new piece of chocolate. She happily accepted.

"Yeah. I think it'll be helpful. You get to ask all sorts of question, and get in-depth answers for anything you might be in doubt of. Sounds nice. Also, high grades makes my family happy. High grades opens the door for more opportunities than low grades."

"True."

"Will you go if you're well enough by then?"

"Of course." He shoved a chunk of chocolate in his mouth, letting the liquid fill up his mouth and drown his taste buds, before letting it all slide down his throat. "I probably need it more than anyone else. But if I can't make it, you'll give me a crash course, right?"

"As if you need to ask, Silly."

Silence fell over them once more, and Kuki politely shook her head when Wally offered the box of chocolates to her once more. He gave her shrug, found the lid, and but the box back on the table. Kuki followed his eyes, looking at the table whose surface couldn't be seen for all the cards, flowers, and presents. A purple mouse-bear, with crooked black whiskers, and glitter-specked 'fur' caught her eyes. Its paws, and the inside of its ears were neon yellow, and it had a silly little grin on its face. A round nose and dark amber eyes. Kuki swung her legs back and forth once before getting up and walking over to the night stand. She fingered the mouse carefully. Its fur was soft to the touch. She took it in her hands, holding it carefully as if it would break, then she sat on the chair again and presented it to him.

"Have you seen Mr. Glitter?" she asked, holding the plush toy next to her face.

"Pff! What the crud is that?!" Wally wailed in laughter.

"It's Mr. Glitter" Kuki smiled, "The football team got him for you, they thought he'd make you laugh and cheer you up."

Wally held his ribs in pain and wheezed a bit. He slowly calmed down, trying to send a reassuring look to Kuki, whose face by now was contorted in an apologetic expression.

"Damn them." he breath, "It made me laugh all right."

He wiped away a few tears which had build up whilst he laughed. He turned his head and took a look at the plush in Kuki's hand. She only needed one to hold it. Two fingers supported its legs and feet. He saw her move those fingers just a bit, making the mouse's legs react, as if it were dancing. Her index finger rested at the back of the mouse's neck, and she started pushing its neck a bit, as though she was testing how well-made it was. Her eyes flickered from Mr. Glitter to Wally, playfulness sneaking into them. Then she set her lip in a pout, and spoke with a sad voice.

"Aaw," she pushed the toy's neck to make it look down, "you upset him."

"I'd better make it up to him again, won't I?"

Kuki pressed and unpressed the neck, which made Mr. Glitter's head bob enthusiastically. Something in the way the tip of her tongue found the corner of her lips, made Wally aware she concentrated on not being too rough with the toy, thereby ruining it.

"Yes please." she said in a sad voice, talking for the plush mouse.

"All right." Wally sighed. He couldn't believe what he was about to do. "Give 'im here."

Kuki handed him Mr. Glitter in a soft motion, and he carefully took it, trying not to let his fingers linger on hers. He never cared much for plush toys. Not as a kid, and not now. Yet, he found himself doing the strangest thing ever. He gave the mouse a gentle hug, followed by a quick peck to its nose.

"I am very sorry, Mr. Glitter." Wally stated, handing the toy back to Kuki.

Their fingers again touched, but instead of drawing back as fast as Wally had, Kuki let her fingers linger a bit on his. It send a buzzing shock wave through his nerves. It reached his elbows before Kuki pulled away, chewing her cheeks with half a smile.

"Thank you Wally." she said, acting for the mouse again. She guided its nose to his to imitate the mouse returning his peck.

"Yay, you're friends!" Kuki cheered, bouncing the mouse from side to side. "You know, I think Mr. Glitter loves you."

"I love you too." Wally smiled, making Kuki stop dead in her tracks.

It took a few breathless seconds before Wally realised what he'd just said, and once he did, his face burned up. It became so red it no doubt matched Kuki's, and he found his throat going dry in an instant, while his heart hammered in his throat, sending an echo against his eardrums and drowning out every other sound.

"It too." he hastily blabbered, knowing too well he'd stepped in it big time. "I love it too."

His body started shaking and his palms became sweaty. In the corner of his eyes he saw Kuki biting the bottom of her lips, which made him scratch his neck nervously. A toxic silence fell over them like a thick quill, and Wally became desperate to break it, and get back to where they'd been before his fatal mistake. Carelessly joking around. He cleared his throat loudly, as if that would chase off the fog of awkwardness suffocating them. Why did he have to make such a stupid slip-up now when they were having such a good time?

"So, you'll come revise with me starting tomorrow, yeah?"

"Oh, ehm, sure." Kuki said, standing up to put Mr. Glitter back in his place.

She was sure Wally hadn't said you, instead of it, on purpose. Still, it bothered her such a simple slip-up ruined their mood in an instant. Or, maybe not ruined, but something definitely happened between them. Like a barrier had been put up, which neither of them really knew how to break down, so instead the atmosphere had become awkward. Kuki was sure it was only momentarily. It still bothered her.

Kuki let her subconscious mind dictate her steps. It didn't take her to the chair. Instead, she sat on Wally's bed and started talking without really thinking.

"Mr. Glitter is so lucky to have you."

"How come?"

"I dunno." she shrugged, "He just is."

Still in a trance-like state, Kuki carefully leaned into Wally and held him in a soft hug. She made sure to give room for him to push her off, should he desire it. But he kept perfectly still, his heart picking up in pace. She could feel it through his T-shirt, gently knocking on her skin. She rested her head on his neck, and relaxed as he guided his left arm around her waist, pulling her a little closer. Not long after, his right hand started playing with her hair, and goosebumps crawled over her skin and made her shiver subtly as she sat there. Her hand clutched onto his T-shirt, enjoying his caressing. She never wanted to leaver her place here with him, but sooner or later visiting hours would be over and she'd have to leave. If not the deafening silence parted them first.

All of a sudden, Wally pushed her away from him, and she felt her heart sink a bit. Part of her wanted to cry, but on the other hand, she didn't want to freak him out, or stress him. He stopped pushing when she was at half an arm's length away from him. He held her in place. Soft and firm at the same time.

She looked into his emerald eyes and felt like she didn't need words, she just needed this. Needed to look into his eyes and know that he was looking into hers with a little smile on his lips, leaning closer to her, looking into her, burying his fingers in her hair.

Her hands found the soft spot on his shoulders, right before his neck, near his collar bone. She let her thumbs run over his surprisingly smooth skin, running them along the collar bone. Following it as it rose and fell. Every centimetre of his body seemed to shake lightly as a reaction, and she saw him swallow hard. His T-shirt started to flap when his heart beat even faster than before.

The only thing which existed to Wally at this moment, was Kuki in his arms, and his beating heart. Her scent reached his nostrils. Sweet, gentle. He let his arms act on their own, his head numb. He didn't want to worry about the repercussions, even though his mind was clearly screaming at him; telling him this was a bad idea. He didn't care anymore. He was so tired of running, and hiding, and settling. He liked Kuki, and it wasn't just a friendship kind of feeling. It was so much more than that. He pulled her closer. Careful and worried she'd pull away, but she let herself come closer. Rested her hands on his collar bone to help hold herself upright, so he wouldn't have to support her weight alone.

They came closer together, their breaths crushing together and mixing with each other. Warm and wonderful. It made both of them tense with anticipation, as their eyes closed. Closer, closer.

Their noses almost touched, her scent invaded him, and the thoughts he'd successfully suppressed so far came crashing to his skull. Loud and clear. What if this was one big mistake, and it wouldn't work out, and ruin everything between them? Still, his jumpy suppressed feelings kept him moving forward, making their friendship seem so fragile. Closer, closer, their lips almost touching. But just as they brushed a knock came on the door, and they quickly pulled apart just in time before a smiling nurse entered.

2015 Rewrite. Originally written between May 26, 2012 — November 25, 2012. I hope you enjoyed this rewrite.

Criticism and/or advices on improvement is/are highly appreciated and welcome :)

~*~TippierCoffee~*~