I seriously need my own computer.
I'm on a computer at my University library and I feel bad, being on it for so long, but I wanted to type this up so bad! I know I haven't updated Operation TUTOR in ages, but right now, I think one-shots are all I have time for. Don't worry, thought, I'll be back on Operation TUTOR soon.
You might (or might not, I have no idea) be interested in knowing that college is going okay, so far. I think I'll be alright. I'm a bit tired, nowadays, but I'm not scared anymore. And I have great roommates.
Speaking of which, if you want some movie recommendations, here are some good ones that we've all seen together: Stardust, Serenity, and While You Were Sleeping (or something like that. Maybe "While You Were Asleep.")
Disclaimer: I don't own Codename: Kids Next Door. If I did, I'd buy myself a boat. I have a lot of fun, telling you guys what I'd buy if it were mine. But it's not.
Anyway, I'll let you just read the one-shot now. Yes? Good? Great. Have fun, and have a fantastic week!
Love, Sadie
---
She always thought that he was invincible.
Nothing seemed to bother him. They had fought so many enemies before; from pirates with candies nestled into their beards, to strange men covered in toilet paper, to squirming lice that sought after their hair, to the ever-elusive Delightful Children from Down the Lane. And they had walked away, every time.
So many battles.
She had grown accustomed to his presence on the battlefield. She knew to stay clear of him, for his movements where quick, hard, and unpredictable. His rage was all-consuming as he moved from body to body, like a viper that waited for the perfect moment to strike. It was all too familiar to her, and even over all their years together, he hadn't changed at all.
At least, not on the inside. Now he towered above her, lanky and carved. His boyish grin had taken on a new edge to it, like a gleeful smirk that threw down the gauntlet to those nearby. The orange hoodie that he so devotedly kept on his thin frame was now old, tattered, and dirty. She often wondered what possessed him to keep it, but never had the chance to ask. And now, she realized, she might never get the chance.
The noise was unbearable around them. Screaming and shouting, with bloodthirsty cries that ripped at the throat as they escaped into the air. Clashes of weaponry, or more often, the thud of flesh against flesh and the groan that slid out as a body struck the ground, fallen. Insults, tearing words, phrases meant to demean and disparage the control as the noise and visions swarmed around the entire area.
But she felt during the whole thing that it was going to be alright; that he was invincible. He was always invincible. He was always okay.
And that was why she screamed when he fell.
The others around them were horrified as the strangled scream ripped out of her throat. Looking around wildly, she saw them take in the scene one by one. First Abby, taller than ever before and still looking at the world under her favorite hat. Her mouth dropped open in shock, but there was little time to react before she was again engaged by an enemy.
Then Hoagie, who let out a cry of fear and turned to run to the boy. Thinner now, but still possessing a love for the skies, he still had a soft heart and it reached out to the fallen body. He stayed on his course until he was knocked flat onto his back, and then he, too, was distracted.
Nigel looked on with a sad expression and seemed to take in the situation around him. First analyzing the enemy, and then their own forces, it only took him a few seconds to make the decision in his head. With a jerk of his head, and a nod, he gave silent permission for the screaming girl to do what she had to.
With that assent, she fell back from the battle, taking the body with her and straightening it out on the ground. He was groaning, barely audible over the noise of the chaos around them, and it stabbed at her heart. She was yanking at the collar of his hoodie, pulling it away from his neck, trying to will the air to enter into his lungs. Her eyes were busy the entire time, searching his head and his chest and his arms and his legs and every single piece of him to find out what had been damaged.
A choked sob escaped her throat, and it gave way to a shriek that seemed to come from her very core. "Wally!"
The name finally seemed to bring reality to him, and his eyes rolled forward and rested on her face. But they were much too blurry and unfocused to comfort her. "Kuki?" The name was nearly a breath that passed through him like a sigh.
"It's going to be okay," she murmured through trembling lips. "Tell me where it hurts."
It took him too long to respond. "My. . . gut." His hand reached up to grasp one of her sleeves as he struggled into a sitting position. "M'okay." Even in pain, his voice still carried an obstinate pride. "M'fine."
Openly crying now, Kuki pulled his torso against her, burying her face into his shoulder. Her whole frame was shaking as though chilled, even though the body against her was still radiating warmth and drenched in sweat from the battle. After another long moment, his arms reached to encircle her middle.
"Don't leave me." It was ridiculous for these words to spill from her lips, as any wound he received was certainly not fatal. No, the childlike plea came from her strongest desire, her need to hear him reassure her. She needed to hear him say it.
A weak chuckle tweaked at his mouth. "Never."
She leaned into him again, letting her raven hair spill over against him as relief seemed to relax her entire being. He still regarded his surroundings with a level of confusion and bleariness, but for now she didn't care. She would fix that later. For now, she had her Wally.
"Love you," she whispered into his ear. His ragged blonde locks tickled at her nose.
Even with the discord around them, she could still hear his reply. "Love you, too, Kooks."
Without warning, he doubled over in pain, clutching at his abdomen as he let out a groan. A stab of fear pierced her heart as her voice came close to panic. "Wally!" No, no, he couldn't leave her now, not after so many years together. Not after the Kids Next Door and the Teens Next Door and the Sunday afternoon walks through the city and the warmth of his grasp in her own and the countless afternoons filled with laughter and light and-
There it was; his mischievous smirk. A twinkling emerald gaze lifted to meet her own. "Got ya, Kooks."
"Wally, you great git!" With the fury of a thousand armies, she cuffed him over the head and sniffed. "That wasn't funny!"
"Come on." He took her hand and pulled her to her feet, turning to survey the battle. The other three operatives had driven the enemies back, and were on the verge of victory. "We can't let them have all the fun, right?"
Kuki rolled her eyes and ran after him, with a great feeling of comfort that seemed out of place as she watched him charge into battle. But maybe it wasn't so strange.
After all, he was invincible.
