:D I'm so mushy, corny and romantic. And I'm not sorry for it. Don't like romance, especially family? Take a hike!
This is based on a beautiful artwork by my friend InvisibleDeath on deviantART, where Arnold and Helga, grown up and married, are walking on the beach during sunset with their son, Little Phil. :D Yay! Here's the art! Just remove the spaces. http: // invisibledeath. deviantart . com / art /Sunset- Walks - 155593335
And I know sometimes people tend to portray Arnold with his hair smoothed back when he's an adult, but eh, I like it better sticking up. With some falling in the back too. XD
So enjoy the sweetness.
Characters belong to Craig Bartlett. Little Phil is mine, but I give ownership to Arnold and Helga, since they conceived him. XD
--~~--
The sun was setting, casting its beautiful rays of the darkened twilight upon the area. The only sounds being the crashing of the waves, the occasional squawking of seagulls, and the whispered breeze of the wind. The beach was deserted, with only the lighthouse standing tall and proud on the cliff, overlooking the breathtaking view, with its light shining all around. Not a soul was in or near the water, no boat in sight.
That is, except for the walking forms of three people walking on the beach. Two adults, and a toddler around two or three years old.
The man was fairly tall, though slightly shorter than the woman, with unruly blonde hair sticking up in all directions, and some in the back falling near his shoulders, and an oblong-shaped head. He had warm green eyes full of patience and gentleness, and wore a simple blue shirt with beige trousers.
The woman was tall, with long wavy blonde hair that danced in the wind, contrasting beautifully with her fair skin and blue eyes. She wore a simple pink dress that danced in the wind along with her hair.
The toddler between them was a little boy, also with a pretty oblong-shaped head, thick eyebrows, drooped ears, and bright blue eyes. He had his father's blonde hair style, the way it stuck up in all directions. He wore a light blue t-shirt and light gray-blue shorts, holding his parents hands on either side of him. He also now wore his father's little blue cap that he'd worn since he had been a baby. He was walking, but at the same time, was letting his parents lift and pull him along like it was a fun ride.
A cute little family. They were none other than Arnold, his wife Helga, and their son, Philip, named after his Great-Grandfather.
It was such a beautiful evening, and the beach was deserted at this hour, so it was no wonder the family took advantage of the situation. They lived close to the beach, about an hour and a half away from their hometown of Hillwood City, and took walks around the area very often. Their home was a quaint Cape Cod house with a back porch, a big fenced-in backyard and a beautiful view of the beach and the lighthouse.
Now they were on their way home, walking barefoot in the sand and enjoying the last minutes of the sunset, having not said much for a while.
Casting a glance toward his wife, Arnold was taken aback and smiled at how peaceful and content she looked, especially with the sunset framing her softened features. Nature's beauty was pretty much the only thing worthy enough to set off how wonderful she looked then, happy as can be, full of comfort and security, like she had nothing to worry about. It was no wonder, he could tell she was happier than ever, knowing full well that their love was forever, and their son was also living proof of it.
Helga gave a soft sigh, and looked to her left out over at the water, her face hidden from view for a few moments, and then turned her gaze toward him. She gave a playful smirk.
"Beautiful, eh, football head?" Even to this day she still called him the silly little insult-turned-affectionate nickname in reference to his head.
"Definitely beautiful." Arnold agreed, smiling. "And the view is pretty nice too."
She giggled, shaking her head. "You are so corny, hair boy."
Arnold chuckled, and lifted Little Phil along with her to make him swing a little, earning a happy laugh from the little guy. "Hair boy and football head all in one, huh? It's been a while. I was starting to think you loved me or something."
"Again! Again!" Little Phil piped up.
Helga looked down at their son with love and adoration, the kind of maternal gaze reserved for children. "All right kiddo. One..."
"Two..." Arnold went on.
"Free!" Little Phil finished.
They both laughed, lifting Phil nearly a foot off the ground, making him laugh and squeal happily and they set him back on the ground. He giggled and gave a soft yawn that was not lost on his parents.
"Aww...someone's getting tired." Helga teased him. "Well it's close to your bed time, young man."
"Noooo..." Little Phil protested, but he yawned again.
"Don't you want mommy and daddy to read you a story?" Arnold offered, reaching around to ruffle his hair with his free hand.
Little Phil immediately perked up. "Yes!"
"Good then." Helga smiled more and then looked up ahead as their house came into view. "We're almost there. I'll carry him the rest of the way, he's getting tired all right."
"Whatever you say, Helga." Arnold winked at her.
She snickered and they let go of the little guy's hands before she picked him up. He gave another yawn and happily cuddled into her chest, his little hands on her shoulders. They ascended up along the slope and came up to the grass areas, heading across the lot over to their house.
It was always a shame that their wonderful little sunset walks always came to an end.
--~~--
Eventually they made it back to the house, going on inside and shutting the door. They went upstairs to the nursery, where Little Phil now slept in a toddler bed. The walls were light blue with rockets and planets printed on it, his bed had blue covers and white pillows. A changing table, since he was still in diapers, was located across the room, next to a bookshelf and a small table where he could draw and do some crafts. A toy box was next to his bed, with a few of his toys sitting around.
Helga checked his diaper, and gave a soft sigh, looking to Arnold. "Change him, will you please? I'm going to go make his bottle of warm milk."
Arnold nodded and took Little Phil from her. "All right, I'll get him into his pajamas while I'm at it."
"Thanks, Arnold. You're a gentleman and a scholar." She giggled, and exited the room with one a bottle in hand.
"So you tell me." He mumbled to himself, shaking his head in amusement.
He lay Little Phil on the changing table and proceeded to change his diaper. It was pretty surprising to do when he'd first been born, but now he had no problems changing diapers or anything like that. Even if Helga had fun "torturing him" by making him do it from time to time.
It wasn't quite the "traditional" family household thing, but they took part in doing everything together in the house, not quite leaving one to do the other.
Once Little Phil was changed, Arnold then dressed him into light blue onesies with bunnies printed on them, and lay him in his bed just as Helga returned with a bottle of warm milk.
"Here you are, sir." Helga cooed, handing him his bottle.
"Milk!" Little Phil said, taking the bottle and drinking from it.
"I'll get a story to read," Arnold went over to the bookshelf, and selected a book. "How about the The Three Little Pigs?"
"Yes!" Little Phil said happily, and drank some more milk.
"I read, you do the sound effects." Helga said, taking the book.
They sat down on either side of little Phil's bed, and began the story.
"Once upon a time, there lived a mother pig who had three little pig sons. One day, they were leaving home and ready to build a house of their own each.
The first little pig collected some straw, deciding to build his house out of that.
The second little pig collected some sticks, deciding to build his house out of that.
The third little pig collected some bricks, deciding to build his house out of that.
So within a couple of days, they completed their houses. The first little pig with his house made of straw, the second little pig with his house made of sticks, and the third little pig with his house made of bricks.
But then one day, out from the wild, came the Big Bad Wolf. He went to the first little pig's house, and knocked on the door and said,"
Arnold took a deep breath and said in his lowest, deepest voice. "'Little Pig! Little Pig! Let me come in!'
'No! Not on the hair of my chinny chin chin!'" He went on in a high pitched squeaky voice.
"Said the pig."
"'Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blooooow your house down!'"
"The Big Bad Wolf opened his mouth wide and blew at the house, successfully blowing it down. The first little pig ran off to his brother's house, the second little pig with his house made of sticks.
So the Big Bad Wolf went to the second little pig's house and knocked on the door."
"'Little Pigs! Little Pigs! Let me come in!'"
"Said the Big Bad Wolf."
"'No! Not by the hair on our chinny chin chins!'"
"Said the two pigs."
"'Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blooooow your house down!'"
"The Big Bad Wolf opened his mouth wide and blew the house made of sticks down. The two little pigs ran off to their brother's house, the third little pig with his house made of bricks.
Once again, the Big Bad Wolf followed them and went to the third little pig's house, knocking on the door."
"'Little Pigs! Little Pigs! Let me come in!'"
"Said the Big Bad Wolf."
"'No! Not by the hair on our chinny chin chins!'"
"Said the three little pigs."
"'Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll bloooooow your house down!'"
"The Big Bad Wolf opened his mouth wide and blew at the house. But since the house was made of bricks, and not straw or sticks, it didn't blow down. He blew again, and it still didn't fall. He kept blowing and blowing, until he gave up.
So he left, thinking of a plan to get the three little pigs.
The next day, the Big Bad Wolf returned, and climbed onto the roof, trying to get in through the chimney. But the three little pigs were one step ahead, because they set up a steaming cauldron of piping hot water. So when the Big Bad Wolf went down the chimney, he fell right into the pot, and the three little pigs slammed on the lid.
With the Big Bad Wolf no more, they lived happily ever after in the third little pig's house made of bricks. The End."
Helga closed the book shut, and then leaned over, kissing her son on the cheek. "Now you go to sleep. Tomorrow is a new day."
Little Phil yawned and smiled. "Okay, mommy."
"Sleep tight Little Phil, sweet dreams." Arnold smiled and kissed his on the other cheek, ruffling his hair.
"Night mommy, night daddy."
They put everything away and then turned off the big light, leaving his night light on, shutting his bedroom door.
--~~--
A little later into the night, Helga was out on the back porch, in her nightgown, admiring the moonlit view of the beach, listening to the distant sounds of the waves crashing. She heard the back door open and close behind her, then within seconds, he came up to her and brought his arms around her from behind. She sighed in pure bliss and leaned back against him.
"Mm, what are you thinking about, football head?" Helga asked then, closing her eyes for a moment.
"A lot of things, I guess." Arnold replied with a light shrug, resting his head on her shoulder. "It's pretty interesting, where we are now... We've been married for five years now, we have a child together, and...well, I don't know, it's just amazing. I should be used to it by now, but everyday I always find myself taking it all in with so much wonder, like it only happened yesterday."
Helga giggled. "Guess you're not alone then, Arnold. I feel the same way. Being where we are now was once upon a time just a fantasy. But knowing it's real, actually real, it makes me so happy, and I can't help but feel like I'm the luckiest woman in the world. I didn't think I could be happier with you until after we had Little Phil."
Arnold gave a soft chuckle and kissed her on the cheek. "Me neither. He really is the greatest thing that ever happened to us."
"By far." Helga murmured. "God, it seems like it was just yesterday that we brought him home from the Hospital. Time really flies, you know. Five seconds ago, you and I were on top of the FTi building with me confessing my love for you and kissing you like crazy."
He snickered, remembering that day all too well. Nine years old, trying to save the neighbourhood, and having the one girl who tormented him endlessly actually turn out to be in love with him all along putting it all on him. "And then you blinked."
"Hey! No more blinking!" Helga laughed heartily. "Didn't we already have this talk back at prom?"
"Yeah, we did." Arnold held her closer and kissed her temple. "We did have some crazy times, didn't we?"
"Yep. What stories we'll be able to tell our kids and grandkids one day."
"I wonder how Little Phil will react when we tell him that we got together in the middle of the San Lorenzo jungle at ten years old?"
"Pretty wild, I'll tell you that. And then date for five years, break up for three, then get back together and get married not too long after." Helga looked over her shoulder at him.
"And that we used to fight a lot and you acted like you hated me."
"Oh shut up! You know that wasn't true!"
"I know." Arnold smiled and turned her around. "Otherwise I would never have found my soulmate."
Helga blushed a little and smiled lovingly, bringing her arms around his neck. "Oh Arnold...I love you so much."
"I love you too, Helga."
They leaned in and kissed passionately, bringing each other closer as they soon got lost in one another. The waves of the ocean crashed behind them over at the beach, the soft chirps of crickets were heard, and fireflies flew around the garden, as the two lovebirds embraced and kissed under the full moon.
The day was over, night had settled, and tomorrow would bring on a new world of possibilities.
And of course, more sunset walks.