I don't own Hey Arnold... Darn it

Brainy thought this was an exercise of embarrassment for any student as he watched student after student confess something no one knew about. Even hearing Helga confess about enjoying writing about poetry and stuff made him smile as he felt proud of her for admitting to it, but when it came to Arnold he offered something very lame before going back to his desk. Last but not least was himself. Getting up slowly he made his way up front ignoring Rhonda just saying something about his appearance.

"All right what could you tell us about your secret." Mrs Lackabee asked gently.

The silence that permeated throughout the room just to wait in what he may say was something that Brainy knew himself as this; They wanted to hear him utter more than two words out of his mouth. He hardly spoke. He had participated in past sports with them when they were younger. Most of all he stalked one particular person in the classroom. A person who was busy already writing in her pink journal. He knew what she wrote in there. He knew it was always about Arnold. It was always about him. Only rarely he seen her pull out a darker journal. That journal is where she stored her other thoughts. The more darker ones that pertained to her family life. He heard the laughter when she admitted to what she loved to do. The only ones who didn't laugh were Phoebe, Arnold, and himself.

"Brainy?" Mrs Lackabee urged softly.

Yes he was delaying because it was his time to speak the truth without a punch in the face. He knew how she would react. He knew how others would react. Brainy was most curious on how Arnold would react.

"Uh yeah." His voice was surprisingly deep making some forget in the classroom what he sounded like. It wasn't their fault there since he hardly said much. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed how Arnold seemed to encourage him in his own way. He was always helping others. Pity he could hardly help himself. Pity he couldn't see the obvious. Brainy liked him actually. Knew he would lay his own life on the line for someone else. What no one else knew, besides Arnold, is that Helga would do the same.

"I've been in love with the same girl since I was 3." Being 16 now so many gasped. "No one knows her like I do. Sure I've followed her. Stalked her if you would like to call it that." He now heard Rhonda muttering something about him being creepy. "I love her and I know she will never feel the same for me because she feels this way for another."

*SNAP*

The sound of a pencil snapped and eyes all focused on the now very readable, Helga Pataki, including Arnold. Brainy saw the feelings float through those large blue eyes. Fear, embarrassment, violation, and something else he couldn't pinpoint since so many mashed in together. Right then Harold started to laugh at the very thought of anyone in love with Helga. So many joined in except for Arnold, Phoebe, Gerald, Brainy, and the teacher as she tried to calm everyone down.

Helga looked so betrayed as she gathered her stuff up and quickly ran out of the room. Tears visible. Phoebe called out her name and Arnold raised himself out of his seat.

"What is wrong with you? What is wrong with all of you?" Arnold questioned firmly as he eyed everyone in the classroom. A classroom that was the same as their 4th grade class exactly. "You should be ashamed of yourselves. Saying all that about her."

"Oh come on Arnold, Helga has been nothing but a cretin for the longest time." Rhonda scoffed. "Need I remind you that she is your number one tormentor?"

Arnold scoffed back at her. "Need I remind you that she hasn't been like that since 4th grade? Helga is really this amazing person and all you can do is still treat her like she is garbage. Think back, because if you can only remember only up to that point then I'm more ashamed of you now than I was a minute ago when you were all making fun of her and Brainy."

"Arnold, are you also telling us of your feelings about Helga? If you are than it is ever so about time you did." Lila inquired gently.

Seeing that Brainy was now missing made Arnold pause in his answer. Made him wonder if he was chasing Helga down to comfort her. For once not caring about getting in trouble, Arnold grinned. "I admit to my feelings for Helga, but I want her to hear from me first."

"Well then what are you waiting for?" Gerald asked in his usual laid back way. His smile encouraging him.

Arnold threw the quickest apology to Mrs Lackabee as he ran out of the classroom to try and locate Helga having a feeling that if she didn't want to be seen she would leave school grounds.

Brainy found her leaning against the wall on Gerald Field just stomping the ground underneath her. "Why did you do that? You knew I'd be laughed at." Helga accused. "You knew how they felt about me to this day. Some stalker you are. You suck!"

"I love you and it finally had to come out." Brainy offered.

Groaning she suddenly wished for a ball to throw at him. "I don't feel the same for you."

"I know but it is better to say something." Bravely he stood in front of her. "Not everyone laughed or made fun of you."

"Like who? I know Phoebe wouldn't." She was still looking down.

"Arnold, Gerald, and myself."

She scoffed. "Arnold is Mr Nice Guy. A guy who would never feel the same way about me like I do for him and trust me when I say I have already admitted it that to him."

Brainy took a much larger chance in putting his finger under her chin to lift her face up. "You were 9 then and had too much going on. You had time to process your feelings and he didn't. Even I had time to process my feelings. Arnold made everyone ashamed of what they did to you after you left."

"Because Arnold is a good guy." Helga smiled a bit there. "You know how so many girls want a bad boy to be with. I want a good guy. I always felt alive around him. A little more complete. I don't mean to insult you because you were at least brave while I was not in admitting my feelings. When I did I was basically cornered and when I let it out I was my passionate self." Puts her head down again. "Oh you know how I am. You've heard me."

"Yes I have and you make me wish I was the one you were saying those poems about, Helga, but I'm not." Brainy watched how the wind played through her hair.

"Maybe life would be simpler if I did love you instead of him."

Brainy always wanted her heart he never wanted to be a fall back. "Perhaps, but think about it in essence to how it would make me feel if you did." He countered gently.

Arnold heard their voices and stopped around the building to eavesdrop. He didn't want to but was afraid to interrupt just yet.

Helga's mouth quirked a bit. "You are correct and I couldn't do that to you. To me. Arnold would never love me though like I love him. He's this incredibly special person who doesn't even know how he puts me to life each time I see him. In the past when he had his hang up's with Ruth or Lila or some other girl who in my opinion aren't worthy of a guy like him because I know they would change him into somebody that even he would hate himself. When he was hung up on them so heavily and I wanted to destroy that and tried, the hurt I saw from him after killed me."

"Yeah I know." Brainy smiled at her showing a bit of his teeth. "To tell you the truth I can see it. Helga, you love him just the way he is. Just like I love you the way you are. You may change a bit for the other, but you can't change the person 100%. That isn't love. You know this and I know it. I hope he knows it."

"I do."

Helga and Brainy turned their attention towards Arnold while he approached them with his attention focused on Helga along with that smile that made Helga swoon. Getting within almost a hairs breath of her, Arnold excused himself in front of Brainy as he wrapped his arm around her waist to bring her against him for a kiss.

Brainy felt the disappointment of it not being him being able to have this chance with her, but knowing how she felt for Arnold seemed worth it. Taking a step back from the little scene he felt like he could see Helga throughout the years from 3 years old till now looking upon this scene and doing that lovesick sound he was most familiar with.

"I know you never want me to change." Wiping some tears away from her cheeks, Arnold kissed where he removed the teardrops away. "I don't want you too either. I love you just the way you are."

Helga's knees weakened. "You serious? About everything?"

Nodding his head, Arnold kissed her. "Sorry I went slow getting here, but at least I did get here. Finally."

"I'm glad you did too. I love you." Wrapping her arms around his shoulders she kissed him.

Brainy felt this was the time to leave. He did a selfless thing and maybe one day someone will love him in return. Turning away he was glad she was happy. He really didn't hold any animosity against Arnold almost finding it strange that he should, but knowing how he helped him in the past, he just couldn't. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, Brainy turned to gaze into her lovely blue eyes.

"Thanks for being super sweet with me and saying all that to me." Brainy knew this sweet side of her. Saw it many times before and it made him blush to be this close to it again. "I'm sorry that I couldn't return the sentiment, but I know what you've done for me today and in the past with keeping my secret that you will meet this amazing woman who will return your love and both of you will be happy." Kisses him on the cheek. "I feel that for you, Brainy."

Brainy looked past her to a content looking Arnold. Brainy wasn't blind he could see the future between them, he could see that this will be the only guy in her life and she will be the only girl in his. They were both old fashion in that respect. Two soul mates. They balanced each another out so well.

"I'd kiss you back but I might hit your lips and I don't believe, Arnold will enjoy that." Brainy decided to take a chance with flirting with her only once in his lifetime.

Brainy felt that his confession in class helped give Arnold the guts to finally confess to Helga. To finally give her a gift she deserved after waiting so long. Now he'll just wait for his turn for someone to return his own embrace fully.

Wanted fluff today and wanted Brainy