A/N:
HEY GUYS 8D LOL, am I crazy enough to write an epilogue for an epilogue? Uh…duh! Lol so yeah anyway this is an epilogue to "Weird Cousin: The Epilogue", naturally set post TJM ;) I hope you guys enjoy this, and I also wanted to say that a lot of the Arnie stuff at the end was inspired by the work SuprSingr's done with his character in her stories "Blue Eyes" and "Nothing but Sunshine". My baby sister is so good at writing and inspiring me ^w^ *Cuddles baby sister* Please review guys! Thank you!
~*Weird Cousin: The Epilogue : The Epilogue*~
"Okay, so…let's go over the plan just one more time, okay, Helga?" a nervous looking Arnold asked, turning to look at Helga as she sat upon the edge of his bed.
Helga just sighed and rolled her eyes a little…but also smiled, unable to help being amused by her love's cute little insecurity about this afternoon. And so she decided to humor him (even though this was about the fourth time since she had shown up at his door half an hour ago that they had 'gone over the plan just one more time'). "Okay, okay, Football Head. We'll do it one more time…" She grinned at him a little and sighed. "Step one…"
Arnold cleared his throat and clasped his hands together in front of himself. "Step one: A-Arnie comes through my bedroom door for his month long visit for the rest of the summer…which he should be doing any second…" A definite and unhideable little twinge went through Arnold's features and he crossed his arms over his chest, but then managed to take in a breath and let out a breath and let his muscles relax a little.
Helga just did her best not to chuckle, and continued to grin at him as she prompted casually and supportively now that step one had been gone over, "Step two…"
"Step two…" Arnold's voice grew a little calmer and easier now and he even brought his eyes back up to Helga's and managed to smile a little. "We tell Arnie that last time he was here you and I were lying about being boyfriend and girlfriend just because I was trying to help you let him down…But now we really are boyfriend and girlfriend. And if he's going to be here for a month he's just going to have to get used to that and accept it."
Helga smiled a little more, even blushed a tiny bit…They had gotten back from San Lorenzo just about three weeks ago and yet even after over twenty one blissful days of hearing Arnold return her affections and acknowledge their romantic relationship and seeing his perfect green eyes desiring her and only her…Yes, even after all of this, even something as simple as him mentioning yet again that he was her boyfriend and she was his girlfriend could still make her heart flutter in eternal gratitude and joy. Helga pulled herself from these lovely reflections for a moment though, lest she break into an unintentional monologue or swoon-fest or something, and responded to Arnold's recap of step two with a little nod and smile. "Uh, y-yeah, that sounds about right…Um…Step three…" Her eyes had gone half lidded and she was just smiling so happily at him.
Meanwhile, at the sight of his girlfriend looking in his direction in that warm, inviting way of hers all of a sudden, Arnold blinked a first…but then he blushed and smiled and looked down bashfully…He liked when Helga looked like that at him. "U-Um…step three…" he began quietly…and then shuffled toward her so that he was standing directly before her now. He reached out a hand and took one of hers extra shyly. "We…say 'I love you' to each other in front of him to prove to Arnie that we're dating…and this time we both really, completely mean it from the bottom of our hearts. No more holding back or denial…" He moved his fingers lightly over Helga's hand, squeezing it a little, savoring the soft feel of her skin. He still didn't understand how, for all those years, he could have avoided…touching her like this, being with her like this, wanting her like this…But now he had her and he never wanted to let her go…and that was where this multi-step 'Arnie plan' came into play. Because Arnold would traverse a thousand jungles and brave a thousand crazed and greedy bandits and save a thousand lost civilizations before he would let anyone even try and snatch Helga away…especially Arnie. Lost in these thoughts, Arnold brought up Helga's hand to give it a small and gentle kiss.
A giggle instantly escaped the girl seated before him at the light touch of his lips to skin, causing Arnold's eyes (which had drifted shut) to open once more with warmth and love to gaze upon her. She just looked all dreamy and was blushing a little extra, her own eyes still half lidded in adoration. "U-Um…step four…" she merely replied lightly…and at the mention of this particular step she crossed her legs delicately, one over the other, and even batted her eyelashes a little.
"Step four…" Arnold gave a little swallow and squeezed her hand a little as he lowered it…looking deeply into her eyes as he said, "To show him that we absolutely mean it…that we love each other…and that no one's going to come between us…I kiss you in front of him again…only this time, on…on, um…you know…the lips…" He released her hand and was all bright scarlet and could barely look her in the eyes. His hands were clasped shyly in front of himself again and he felt so fluttery inside he almost…he almost could have fainted. On the lips…he kissed Helga on the lips…That was a part of his life now. Pressing his own little lips against hers…Her soft, pretty, pink lips…And kissing…kissing and holding and…he loved her so much. "A-As long as you're comfortable with doing that in front of him, of course…" he tacked on shyly now, as he had done every time he had presented step four to her over the last week ever since they had known about Arnie coming and Arnold had come up with this screwy plan in the first place.
Helga just gave a little nod, glancing away with a shy smile from her place still perched on the edge of the bed. "I'm okay with it, Arnold. Whatever you need to sufficiently 'show me off' to your cousin." She chuckled a little and managed to look directly at his face again. "And speaking of which…" she gave a little sigh, "Since Arnie really is going to be here any minute we should probably wrap this up. Step Five…" She grinned at him again and crossed her arms over her chest.
Arnold let out a little sigh of his own and managed to look to her face again as well. "Step five…Arnie knows that we're really together and really in love, and I get to spend the last month of the summer spending more time just getting to know the…nicest, smartest, funniest, sweetest, most loving girl in the whole world." He even threw in a wink on top of all the compliments that he loved giving her so very much.
Helga, meanwhile, blushed instantly and fully at him saying all of those nice things but then without missing a beat replied back with just a touch of sarcasm and a little grin, "What—you got some sweet, sappy, cute little Barbie doll on the side or something to balance out the experience of dating me?"
Arnold laughed a little at her joke and just shook his head. "Very funny, Helga…But you and I both know now that I was right over the years and that you really were nice deep down…Nice and good and perfect." He let out a breath and looked at her with a sincere little smile, crossing his arms over his chest. "And, um, as for the plan about Arnie, thanks again for being willing to go along with it. I know it might seem silly but…it'll make me feel a lot better doing this right now right when he gets here. I just…I just keep thinking about how pushy he was last time even though he thought we were dating, and I…" A definitely frustrated little look came to his features…and images flashed in his mind…Arnie coming here for this last month of the summer now…following Helga around, hitting on her, professing his love to her. A brief memory of his dream about visiting Arnie in the country even came to Arnold's mind for a moment and instantly he envisioned Helga in his position in the dream, and Arnie in Lulu's position…and Arnie suddenly grabbing Helga in a movie theatre and pulling her off into a corner…his lips puckered in an attempt at a kiss.
Arnold's blood boiled a little inside of himself.
"Uh…Arnold? Arnold, darling? You who? Football Head, please, snap out of it!"
Suddenly there were some fingers snapping in front of Arnold's eyes and instantly he blinked and came back to reality. Helga was still just sitting on the edge of his bed before him, looking a mixture between concerned and amused. Seeing his eyes come back into focus now though made a small sigh of relief escape her and she smiled at him, resting her hands on the edge of the bed again. "Sheesh, Football Head, you're really worked up about all of this, aren't you? But come on, Arnold, really…you know that I'd never…NEVER…you know…leave you or whatever…and never in a million years for Arnie of all people! You do know that, right?" She looked at him with genuine concern and she spoke from her heart. "My love for you is constant and true, my love…You can't ever think that I'd break it, and especially never for another…"
Arnold blushed and blinked several times and then instantly went forward and had both of his hands on her shoulders, looking right into her eyes with his own wide and full of honesty. "No! I…Of course I don't think you'd ever just dump me for someone else or start loving another boy! Not after all we've been through…I just…I worry, Helga…because…I…I guess I feel like us…together…is…kind of a dream come true…Something I never expected and now that I have it I still don't know how I ever lived without it, how I ever didn't see it. And…sometimes I still wonder if I'm going to wake up and…really have it all be a dream. That's all that this plan is for…It's just because I…can't help being kind of silly about our, um…o-our love…Because it's all so new to me and part of me feels like if I don't fight for it with everything I have, I could maybe lose it just as quickly as I got it." He looked into her eyes with a little frown, hoping he'd expressed himself well enough. "Does, um…Does that make sense or does it sound stupid, Helga?" he asked sincerely.
Helga was just looking at him with kind of wide eyes at first, just taking all of that in. But then she smiled and spoke kindly to her worried little love god as she felt herself start to understand. "No, Arnold, that's not stupid, and it definitely makes sense, feeling afraid like that. Heck, I feel the same way sometimes—after all, you loving me back is such a new thing for me that every once in a while I myself wonder if I'm going to wake up in witch doctor's hut back in San Lorenzo with a major bump on my head from a coconut or something only to find out that this whole wonderful thing between us has been just part of some wacky dream of mine. But, I'm just happy to hear that you don't think I'd leave you or something." And then she grinned a little more and added, eyeing him up and down for a moment as long as she had him close and touching her shoulders like this, "Besides, what girl in her right mind would ever go off with snorting, one-eye-at-a-time blinking, beanie wearing Arnie…when she could get her hands on a suave little stud like yourself, Arnold?" She giggled, legs still crossed.
Arnold instantly stepped back from her and blushed a lot extra and put his arms behind his back and looked down so very bashfully again with such a little goofy smile that Helga just about plain wanted to scoop him up in her arms in a hug, tackle him to the floor, and cover his cherry red little face with little loving kisses, and never stop for the rest of their lives.
"H-Helga…" Arnold finally managed to mumble back to her, meanwhile, shuffling one of his feet on the carpet. "I…I-I…"
Helga just chuckled and waved him off. "Yeah, yeah, I know…You're not 'cute', or 'gorgeous', or 'a hunk', or a 'stud muffin', or 'handsome', or 'princely' or whatever other adjective I'm throwing at you whenever I bring up how insanely attracted to you I am. You're 'just Arnold' or some other such humble nonsense. Whatever you say, paste for brains." She winked and had to laugh a little again at her love's sweet modesty and shyness.
A still smiling and blushing Arnold just gave a little shrug and nodded. "Y-Yeah, um…all of that…A-And also…you know…s-speaking of attraction…Another reason I kind of want to lay things on the line for Arnie today is because, well…" he brought his eyes to hers, "It feels sort of easy to lose your girlfriend when on top of being warm and smart and funny…she's also the prettiest girl in the whole city or the whole jungle." He chuckled a little at the whole wonderful thing, and recalled briefly from the last time Arnie had been here how, when Arnie had brought up Helga's cuteness, he had done his best not to acknowledge that factor in her potential appeal as a girl too much because it had made him feel 'funny' at the time…though little had he known that that had been because 'cute'…was just the tip of the ice berg when it came to his real feelings about her…Yes, once Arnold had acknowledged to himself that he couldn't stop thinking about her confession…couldn't look at her with patient indifference anymore but now found himself observing her with blushing curiosity…Once he had admitted that every time she was near him and she didn't kiss him…disappointment far outweighed relief…he had seen it all and been unable to help finding her to be the most appealing and lovely creature on the whole planet.
"Oh, I…" these gently cooed words and a swoon from Helga met Arnold's ears and caused him to come back to the present again. She was all flustered and didn't know what to say and she was so pretty. "Oh Arnold…" she merely said so lovingly from her place on the edge of his bed, giggling…A blushing beauty all for him.
Arnold just smiled more, loving whenever he said something that could get her like this. So cute and happy and blushing and on top of it all tongue-tied of all things…He was charming her and he could feel it. He wanted this to go on…to wrap her around his finger a little more, to work the little bit of magic he seemed to have on her, to say the things that would warm her and tickle her and melt her in total love…
…And then maybe to lean in and over her…she would be blushing and shy…and totally his…and maybe he could touch her, bring her up into his arms…and…she'd…she'd…
KNOCK KNOCK
Snort.
Arnold let out a very deep little frustrated sigh. Right in the coziest moment they could have had—not a few seconds before or after but RIGHT at it's start when he had let himself slip from the plan he was supposed to be putting into action and into date mode—Arnie just had to finally show up and knock on the door.
With a deep breath out Arnold managed to push back down inside of himself the instincts that only special alone moments with Helga like this could make bubble up…the ones to do more than just admire her from afar like he had done with all of the other girls in this life…the instincts for touch and closeness and warmth and to have her melt like warm putty in his arms. Yes, he took a breath and straightened up and tried to file this moment away for now to continue at a later date, went over his five step plan quickly once more in his head, and then looked over at his bedroom door. "Uh…c-come in…" he said as firmly as he could, and then planted his feet a little squarely and held his arms down firmly at his sides, doing his best to affect a welcoming countenance although his emotions inside were mixed right now to say the least.
There was a pause and then the door slowly and almost eerily opened up.
Arnie stood there in the doorway.
Snort.
He blinked one eye at a time and then spoke. "Hi, Arnold. There are still twelve steps on your pull down stairs to get up here from the hall just like last time I was here. I counted again. Oh. Hi Helga. I didn't know you'd be here on Arnold's bed."
From Arnold's bed (where Helga had indeed been…and she had also been sort of starting to recline back…legs crossed, body angled coyly to one side…all in preparation for her little love god to woo her with more words of love), Helga instantly became aware of her position and also of the simple fact that she was in a room with Arnie and she was on a bed, and instantly stood up and straightened her jumper and crossed her arms over her chest. "U-Uh…yeah, hey, Arnie. Long time no see." Her face was something between a scowl of annoyance at Arnie and a touch of fluster at his bluntness about his observation of her just now.
"Hmm MMM!" The sound of Arnold (loudly) clearing his throat instantly brought attention back to him. He was scowling just the tiniest bit, a very determined look in his eye. He made sure to take a small step in front of Helga (and between her and his cousin) before addressing Arnie again. "Anyway…Arnie…I'm h-happy you're here and that you decided to visit me again and also my Mom and Dad now that they're back." Arnold let out a breath feeling a little calmer all of a sudden. Recalling his parents had reminded him that there were things far more important than dealing with Arnie, and also that Arnie was still family and he really did need to treat him nicely and love him. He spoke a bit more gently now. "But, um…before your visit officially starts I just wanted to lay down some…ground rules. Okay?" He even managed to smile a little.
Arnie just did his creepy blink and then shrugged. "Is this about my lint collection getting in your sock drawer again?" Snort.
Arnold blinked. "What? No, this…" he shook his head and sighed, then looked at Arnie again, trying to be patient. "This isn't about lint, Arnie!" He quirked his mouth to the side in frustration, hands on his hips.
"Oh." Snort. "Okay."
Arnold waited for him to ask what the rules were actually about but Arnie remained just standing there observing himself and Helga with his dull gaze until Arnold finally decided that he would have to be the one to initiate things further himself. Arnold took a breath, then smiled again, then stepped back over to Helga, gently took her arm and then pulled her forward a little toward his cousin (though all the while he subconsciously kept himself slightly between the two of them). 'Okay, step one down at least…Arnie showed up and didn't try to jump her or anything…' Arnold felt a little of that blood boiling feeling inside of himself again but subdued it by reminding himself that the key word in that thought he'd just had was that Arnie 'didn't' try to jump Helga. 'Now time for step two…' Arnold cleared his throat a little and looked Arnie in the eye again and went on calmly. "Anyway, Arnie…what I meant by some ground rules is that…well…I kind of have a confession to make actually." A touch of guilt came to Arnold's face as he went on. "Um…see…the last time you were here…and I told you Helga and I were dating…That…wasn't true, Arnie. I only said I was her boyfriend because…she'd been helping me try and get Lila to like like me by pretending to be my girlfriend and I wanted to pay her back for that, and then she seemed unhappy with you trying to love her so I just said I was her boyfriend so you'd think she wasn't available and leave her alone. Right, Helga?" Arnold glanced behind him, squeezing Helga's hand a little.
A slightly blushing Helga just let out a sigh, her eyes looking down at the floor. She rubbed the back of her neck with her free hand and nodded a little, feeling a lot more awkward about this whole 'plan' than she had anticipated. "Uh, yeah…Arnold was just doing me a solid."
Arnold nodded and quickly turned his attentions back to his cousin and smiled again. "But the thing is that now we really are dating. We got together after we found my parents back in San Lorenzo and so…we're together. And we just…wanted you to know." Arnold smiled, feeling a huge weight lift off of his shoulders. The bomb had been dropped: almost half the battle was over.
Now, Arnold knew that Arnie was a pretty…blasé person. He spoke in a monotone, his eyes were constantly glazed, and though he had claimed having an emotion or two over the time Arnold had spent with him, our football headed hero could never recall Arnie ever actually having expressed an emotion. However, to the news that the girl he had claimed to love was currently seriously dating his cousin, Arnold definitely expected some kind of noticeable reaction.
However, Arnie just stood there and did one of his usual one eye at a time blinks. "So," he merely said, still in the monotone.
Arnold blinked and then looked at him in wide-eyed perplexity. "So? A-Arnie…I'm serious. Helga and I are dating now and you need to know that and get used to it!" Arnold held Helga's hand a bit more firmly. Just what did his cousin mean by 'so'?
Arnie just shrugged. "I'm already used to it, Arnold. I thought you were serious the last time you told me you two were dating. So the fact that you were lying back then but that you're dating now doesn't make any difference to me. It's like nothing's changed. I don't understand why you brought it up."
Arnold blinked several times. "H-Huh? I…Well…uh…I…don't…know…I guess…" He felt so confused. Actually, though, Arnie…kind of made a good point, now that Arnold really thought about it. He really could have just left things about himself and Helga alone, come to think of it. Why bother bringing it up to Arnie again? Arnold wanted to chalk it up in part to his innate desire to always be as honest as possible about everything with people but somehow that just didn't feel right. No, there was something else bugging him that had made him insist on getting into all of this again with Arnie…He just couldn't quite (AKA wasn't willing) to place his finger on it just yet…
Snort. "I think you were trying to show off a little, Arnold," Arnie suggested, meanwhile, still in his same dull as dirt tone. "Don't feel bad about it though. I know you can get jealous sometimes, just like last time I was here even though last time wasn't for real since you weren't really dating Helga."
Arnold blinked even more as Arnie's words (especially his final ones) processed, and then he full-on scowled at his cousin. "Wait a minute, I don't get jealous! I just…I am NOT jealous of you, Arnie!" Arnold declared decidedly: he was certainly not going to let Arnie think that he saw him as a viable threat to his relationship with Helga! "I-I just wanted to come clean with you about everything!" he finally finished stubbornly.
Arnie shrugged again. Snort. "Okay." He did one of his creepy blinks. "Anything else?"
Arnold let out a frustrated sigh, almost started yelling again, but then checked himself and tried to recall the steps of his plan in his head. Next would be step three. Okay. He looked at Arnie once more and nodded. "Um, yeah, just a couple more things. You see…well I just…wanted to make it clear that Helga and I aren't just dating. We're, um…well…" And then a slightly nervous Arnold turned to the girl at his side, blushed a little, looked her in the eyes whose hand he was still holding and said, "Helga…I love you." He spoke it with all the sincerity he could muster considering how nervous he was about saying that to her for (he now realized) the first time in his life in front of somebody else.
Helga, who had kind of just been standing back and imbibing all this stuff between her love and her love's cousin, just blinked at first at this words from Arnold. But then of course she felt her heart swell with warmth and passion as it always did at hearing him directly profess his love for her, and then she gulped and replied (equally as nervous as he was since she too was saying these words to Arnold for the first time in front of another person), "I love you, Arnold." She smiled a little at him, unable to help it…She was allowed to say 'I love you, Arnold' to him and actually mean it—such a heavenly state of existence.
Arnold smiled more at her, warmed and touched by her reply…He almost didn't want to look away from those shy yet beckoning blue eyes of hers. And, well…step four WAS next on the list… He let out a breath and managed to mumble to Arnie out of the corner of his mouth, "So…yeah…Helga and I are serious…and in love…for real now…" Helga smiled more and so did Arnold. "And we…we…" he moved closer…wanted to say something about kissing on the lips before he actually did it…but he was so lost in her perfection…
…Until Arnie's monotone voice interrupted the moment, that was.
"That's nice." Snort. "Anyway," Arnie was still just standing there and as bored looking and sounding as ever, "I dropped my bags off downstairs and welcomed Aunt Stella and Uncle Miles home, and I said hi to you so now I'm going to head out for a little while. I sort of have somewhere to be soon." No sarcasm, no jealousy, no disdain was in his tone…He was obviously just…letting Arnold know.
At these words from his cousin, Arnold's eyes went from warm, gooey, 'looking at the woman I love' mode to wide and utterly perplexed again, following suite with his lips which went from puckered and closing in to slack as his jaw fell. Helga had practically been leaning in for a kiss as well but Arnold just didn't even notice and turned right back to look at Arnie (thus causing Helga to actually stumble forward a bit and blink a few times in surprise). "Wait…You're just…leaving?" Arnold had to ask in surprise, taking a step or two toward Arnie.
Arnie, who had already shuffled half way to the door, turned back around and gave a little nod. Snort. "Yeah. I promised Lila I'd meet her for ice cream when I got here. I've kind of been talking to her sometimes since my last visit here. Phone calls and stuff. I gave her that popsicle wrapper with my number on it that Helga didn't want before I left last time."
Arnold blinked a few times, just…trying to process this new little piece of information. "Okay…wait a minute…" He spoke slowly. He just…had to clarify all of this. "I thought you didn't like like Lila and that's why you dumped her last time you were here."
Snort. Arnie shrugged. "No, that's not true. I liked her. Liked her liked her. But you kept acting jealous about us so I thought I should be nice to her but that I shouldn't encourage things too much since you're my cousin and everything. That's why I broke up with her. Actually, you hanging out with Helga so much while I was spending time with Lila is what made me notice Helga in the first place and start to love her, especially since I thought you wanted Lila. But then you said you were Helga's boyfriend and I guess I was a little disappointed losing the chance at her like that since I'd already fallen for her, but then I realized that if you were actually dating Helga it meant nothing was going on with you and Lila, so I went back to her and we sort of hit it off. No big deal." He shrugged and did one of his creepy blinks.
Arnold just…just watched him. Seriously, he had never had a planned course of action in his life backfire and turn out nearly as screwy as this one was doing. "So…you really don't want Helga at all anymore…Really?" He was asking just to make sure and also a tiny bit because the idea of 'not wanting Helga' seemed almost inconceivable to him.
"Yeah." Snort. Arnie nodded. "I mean don't get me wrong, Helga." He glanced past Arnold to Helga who had been just standing there kind of curiously taking in this latest turn of events herself. "You're interesting. And funny. And pretty. But thinking about it, I think I like Lila better. There's just something about her. Sorry. I'm kind of a one-woman guy and Lila got to me first. I hope you're not too disappointed."
"Uh…I'm…good…" was all Helga kind of said with her jaw hanging open.
Snort. "Okay." Arnie turned back to look at both Helga and Arnold. "You two have a good afternoon together. We should double date sometime if all of us being together won't make you get too jealous again, Arnold. Bye." And with that and a small wave and a final phlegmy snort Arnie was across the room and out the door, letting it close behind him.
There was just silence in the room.
Then Arnold instantly ran for the door, opening it and calling down the attic steps Arnie had already descended, "But…so you're just…and you don't even…so it didn't even matter that…" And then he scowled as something came to the forefront of his thoughts and he called down firmly, "Hey, I said I'm NOT jealous of you, Arnie! I was just…setting down ground rules, like I said! NOT jealous!"
But Arnie obviously wasn't listening much. He was already down the hall. And with a frustrated sigh Arnold just stepped back into his room and slammed the door shut. He turned around, arms crossed over his chest, looking peeved. He instantly began fuming to himself, walking back toward the center of his room. "Jealous? JEALOUS? And jealous of HIM! I am NOT…Grr…" He began to pace a bit in his frustration.
"Arnold…"
Helga's voice broke upon his ears but Arnold was a little distracted at the moment with pacing and frustration. "And I was NOT showing off about you! I just wanted to set things completely straight! Of course it all had a point even if he already thought we were dating from the last time he was here!"
"Arnold…"
Still Arnold was unphased by Helga's voice patiently addressing him. He turned and stopped in his pacing to keep talking more to himself, "And then he didn't even let me finish my plan! We were barely half way into step four and he just leaves like he could care less! If all of this wasn't pointless in the first place he made it pointless by doing that!"
"Oh Arnold…." Helga's voice was a bit more sing-songy this time.
Still though, Arnold was too wrapped up in things to be paying her much attention, though he was indeed aware that she was trying to talk to him. But still…Arnie had just…gotten to him…yet again! It was like when Arnie had bugged him the last time he had been here by suddenly dating Lila only a million times worse! Not that Arnold had been wanting his cousin to be devastatingly crushed by the news that Helga really was long-term taken but…would it have killed him to have just sat through the plan, grumbled a little at this big news but accepted it, and then to have wished the new couple well as opposed to him coming up here, not caring at all about any of this, acting like Helga was 'losing out' by losing him, and then on top of it all accusing Arnold of being jealous! Jealous of his cousin who collected lint and had a lucky pile of dirt and spent his hours reading ingredients off of wrappers! Insane…! (And it wasn't helping Arnold feel any better about the last part of all of this that there was that blood boiling feeling going through him again just a little…and he couldn't deny that to call it jealousy…jealousy over Arnie's confidence and indifference and the idea that he was walking around thinking that he might actually have a shot with Helga one day if things didn't work out with Lila and that Arnold was actually in fear of that! Ugh, it was maddening! "I just…" Arnold took a breath and tried to level out his voice and tone but it was hard, "I just get so frustrated by him sometimes! You think it's bad having a perfect sister, Helga, try a weird cousin!" Arnold let out a little huff of a sigh and rubbed one of his temples a little, feeling a touch of a headache the likes of which Arnie usually brought on starting to set in.
"Arnold, you know, if he's going to bring out this little jealousy streak in you, then, heck, maybe we should just ask Arnie to move in!"
At that suggestion (and the intrigued tone in which it was said) Arnold's eyes went wide and he instantly turned to Helga. "Helga! I told you I'm NOT…" And then Arnold gulped… "…j-jealous…" Well, this was…interesting… Helga was no longer just standing by his bed but rather resting back upon it facing him…propped up on her elbows…legs crossed and hanging over the edge of his covers…smiling rather coyly. He felt a little blush come to his features at looking at her like that.
Helga, meanwhile, just giggled and shook her head at him at his continued little denial. "Uh uh, I can see it in your eyes, Football Head. You were all fired up about this whole Arnie thing even before he ruined your plan…and now it's just gotten worse. You really can't stand the fact that he loved me at one point…that he's the only other available football head who's wanted a romantic piece of Helga G. Pataki in the whole wide world. Hmm…" her grin grew, "To tell you the truth though, Arnold, I don't know why you just won't admit it…that you're jealous. I mean personally I like jealousy on you…like like it even…" She winked and gave a coy glance away.
Arnold was blushing rather insanely at the moment as he continued to just stare at Helga and fight so many urges and thoughts and feelings that had been bombarding him ever since he had finally just admitted to himself that the idea of being in love with her was the most appealing state of existence to him on the planet. "O-Oh…" he said shakily at first, just as a response…and then, "Oh…" this time very shyly as her words started to really process…and then, "OH!" as everything finally sunk in about what she was saying…and what she was getting at. He gulped, wide eyed for a moment longer…but then a little boyish grin came to his face and he glanced down, all smitten and shy looking. "W-Well, um…wh-whatever you say, Helga…" And then he gave a little shuffle over to the bed. "A-And, um…as for the jealousy…" he tacked on shyly, sitting down gently next to her now. "I can't help it—after all, like you said, Arnie did love you once and he is another football head for you…the only one in the whole world probably. And you really are so funny and smart and nice and interesting and pretty, he'd be insane not to be your boyfriend if you were willing to be his girlfriend." Arnold shyly let his hand reach out and take one of Helga's resting upon his blankets. "And we didn't even get to finish step four to show him how serious I am about him never ever getting you away from me…"
A smiling Helga just giggled a little again as she looked over at him. "Ah yes, how could I forget step four…You mark my lips with your kiss…My lonely and neglected little lips that had to go almost seven whole years without kisses…" She gave a 'forlorn' sigh and smiled and blushed a little more to herself. She often pulled out this point of 'pity' whenever she wanted something to happen between them, and Arnold always responded rather positively to it, conveniently enough.
"W-Well…um…" came Arnold's quiet little voice in reply at first…and then Helga's heart fluttered madly as she felt him lie down and cuddle in next to her on the bed, an arm around her, "Well…e-even though Arnie's not here for us to officially finish the plan…we are all alone now together in my room now…so we could, um…do step four if we felt like it…just for us…if you want…And seven years really is such a long time to m-make up for…" He was so shy. Three weeks in and he was still getting used to the concept that he wasn't just going to get to spend time with Helga and say nice things to each other with Helga and sit next to Helga on the bus…Apparently being in love and having a 'grown up' relationship had a habit of leading to other things too…things with touches and lips and moans…and he was still getting used to it all…getting used to kissing a girl he treasured on a regular basis. But it was coming, slowly but surely.
"Oh Arnold…" Helga cooed back to his suggestion, turning herself close to look at his half lidded gaze with her own half lidded gaze, "I thought you'd never ask." And instantly she shut her eyes and puckered her lips, waiting for him to start (Arnold had noticed over the last few weeks that she seemed to really like when he initiated the kisses—something about the seven years of waiting for them made it important to her, probably…and he wasn't about to complain or anything of course).
Arnold shut his own eyes now and puckered, and then pulled himself and Helga close in a quiet, tender, loving embrace and kiss upon his covers.
"Mmm…"
"Hmmm…"
She moaned, he sighed, they were pulling tighter and tighter around each other. These moments of sheer intimacy were, naturally, rather intense for Arnold, all things considered, but somehow with Helga to hold and guide and soothe him he always made it through, and for the time being he just went along for the ride, maybe trying to rub her back or to pull his fingers through her hair or to gently cradle and caress her shoulders as all of this went on just so that he could comfort and guide and soothe her a little as well (and to feel the little quivers she made when he did things like that to her…Oh he loved those quivers).
"Mmm…mmmm…"
He also loved her moans too. REALLY loved those. The idea that she was so happy that she had to make that sound…Oh it made him hold tighter, kiss more deeply, press his hands into her, savoring everything. And deep inside part of him wanted to just scoop her up in his arms when this was over and carry her away and make her happy forever with kisses.
KNOCK KNOCK.
Snort.
"Arnold, I wanted to take Lila roller-skating. Do you have any skates I could borr—"
At this point in being interrupted Arnold and Helga had definitely stopped kissing (though they were still lying upon the bed with arms wrapped around one another, mostly in shock and fright) and they had definitely turned to face Arnie and were met with the sight of him…actually wide eyed. They had never seen him like that before.
Arnie still wasn't talking. His eyes were still wide. His beanie gave a little twist. He spoke now and his voice was still dull but that wide-eyed look still remained. "Um…I just wanted to borrow some roller-skates. I guess you guys are busy though. Also, you both know that ten-year-olds don't kiss like that, right? It's kind of weird. Maybe you two should get out more. Anyway, I'll just take Lila for some ice cream or something instead, I guess. Uh…bye." And with that dull explanation (and still wide eyed for once in his life) Arnie left the room again.
Arnold and Helga were quiet for a second longer. Then they looked at each other (blushing like mad, of course, at getting caught in one of there little making out moments, and by Arnie of all people).
And then Helga smiled. "Well, well, well…looks like jealousy runs in the family…"
Arnold blinked and looked at her curiously. "Huh?"
Helga chuckled and shrugged. "Well, you were jealous of Arnie loving me and thinking he had a shot with me…and it seems Arnie's pretty obviously jealous of the fact that he's not 'getting any' from little miss perfect while you're rolling around on your bed liplocking with me." She winked and chuckled a little more.
Arnold blinked once…considered this observation…and then he grinned ear to ear, looking down upon her. "Hmm…You know…suddenly I feel a lot better about Arnie's visit, Helga. Maybe it really would be okay to take him up on that double date offer."
Helga just blushed and laughed and rolled her eyes, looking up at him. "Yeah, yeah…You're all happy because if you've gotta be jealous at least it seems fair that Arnie gets to be a little jealous of something too. Speaking of which though, wanna go back to that 'getting some' thing I was just talking about?" She clung extra close to him again. "Me and the ONLY football head for me…" She reached out a finger and gently traced it around the curve of his head.
Arnold's already wide grin only grew and he had his arms fully tightly around her again and he was smiling and blushing…and had a certain little gleam in his eyes. "Hmm…you know, Helga, I think I don't mind being a little jealous now and again myself…It makes it that much better the next time I get to hear you say that I'm the only one for you." He winked.
She smiled and blushed and he smiled and blushed and then they came together for another one of their happy, loving, 'arguably kind of weird for two ten-year-olds but who the heck cared when you were in love' kisses, their relationship as solid as ever.
Out on the boarding house stoop, the front door opened, the front door closed, and now Arnie was standing at the top of the cement steps leading down to the sidewalk…and his eyes were still sprung open wide and he hadn't even done one of his one-eye-at-a-time blinks ever since… 'walking in' on Arnold and Helga up there.
"Arnie! Did Arnold have any roller-skates you could borrow? Oh I'm ever so excited to spend the day together!"
Lila's cheery voice from the bottom of the stoop (where she had met Arnie when he had first come downstairs and where she had been waiting patiently and eagerly and giddily for him ever since he had ventured back inside again to ask Arnold for the roller-skates in question), met Arnie's ears and snapped him out of some thoughts. He turned his gaze to look at her.
She was just beaming warmly at him…but then she blinked and a definite touch of concern came to her eyes. "Arnie…I'm oh too sure that I've never seen your eyes so…wide before. Is everything okay?" she asked sincerely.
Arnie gave a little swallow and just shrugged, trying to sound dull and indifferent like usual but…finding it hard, possibly for the first time in his life. "Uh…Arnold…didn't have any roller-skates…" he finally went with, unsure how this response was supposed to explain the look upon his face.
"Oh…" Lila replied at first, still with her frown (though it was obviously directed at Arnie's unwell appearance rather than at the bad news about the skates), but then she smiled and went on, in her normal happy voice, "Well, roller-skating doesn't matter. We could just go for a walk together or for some ice cream. I'm just happy you're going to be here for a whole month, Arnie. I've missed you just ever so much…" She giggled a little and fluttered her eyelashes…
Arnie's normal response to Lila flirting a little like this (the last time he had been here and with her in person, at least) was just to shrug and snort and say 'Okay', and then to go along with whatever she had wanted to do…
However…this time around…well…
…Well…Arnold had just basically given him a full (if indirect) confirmation that there was NOTHING going on between him and Lila…And Arnie really had grown sort of fond of Lila over the weeks of talking to her and writing to her (she seemed to like him for him, which was something he had rarely encountered in his life)…and then of course there was the fact that he…literally couldn't stop thinking about the concept of kissing at the moment. After all, just moments ago he had walked in on…ARNOLD of all people…mild mannered Arnold…his 'perfect' cousin…practically mauling Helga G. Pataki! Who could get THAT image out of their minds any time soon?
"Arnie…?"
Lila's light, pretty voice broke in upon Arnie's thoughts again and now he watched as a small, almost sad little pout came to her features. "Did…Didn't you miss me too?" she asked sincerely and meekly.
Arnie's eyes, for a moment, went even wider than they already were (if it was even possible for him to swing that), and then he instantly realized that he hadn't responded to her, being so caught up in new thoughts and feelings and ideas, and that she must have taken his silence the wrong way. "I…" He considered the best way to fix this…After all, she was so happy and cheerful that to make her sad in any way, even just by a misunderstanding, actually…hurt him inside.
A sort of crazy idea came into his head for how to make this all better, the outcome of which would either be that she would be happier than ever or that she would slap him.
But, hey, if Arnold was willing to risk it with tough-as-nails Helga G. Pataki, Arnie was certainly taking much less of a gamble risking it with sweet little Lila Sawyer.
And so Arnie took in a breath, and looked with his wide eyes into Lila's expectant eyes. "Sorry," he said, some of the dullness still in his tone but a touch of warmth there too, "I missed you too, Lila. Really. I'm happy to be here." And then with a nervous snort, he hesitated for just a moment, and then he shut his wide eyes tight, went forward and planted a little kiss directly upon Lila's lips.
"Mm!"
Arnie heard this little squeak escape from Lila, and that sound made him pull back in utter nervousness, and he felt heat pounding in his face and his breathing was heavy. He had never blushed in his entire life…and he had just kissed a girl! What was wrong with him?
His wide again eyes instantly travelled to Lila's face. She was just blinking and blushing…she reached up and touched her lips once…still seemed hesitant and unsure…
Arnie was about to apologize. He felt like 'silent shock' couldn't be a good sign for what he'd just done to her, and he was ready to make up for it and to hope they could just forget it all as he really had no idea what had just come over him…It had just been that, well…he had wanted to! He had wanted to kiss her in that moment, and then if Arnold could kiss girls, Arnie certainly wasn't about to be left behind in the dust, and then Lila had just looked so sad just now and her lips had been pouting and he had just wanted her to be happy again…But he was ready apologize if she—
"Oh Arnie! You're dreamy…!"
Arnie took in a shocked breath of air! Suddenly Lila's arms were around him and she was smiling and giggling and cuddling against him entirely! His jaw trembled, the blushing got worse, and suddenly his beanie went into such a spinning fit that the little plastic blade spun clear off and to the ground! And then finally…everything finished processing… 'I'm…dreamy…'
Instantly one of those ear to ear grins that Arnie had seen Arnold get once or twice in his life came to Arnie's face for the first time ever. "Uh…thanks, Lila." He kind of put an arm around her to hug her back a little. 'Might as well go all the way with this…Pointless not to.' "Well…anyway, I guess we should get started on that walk now…" he suggested a little bashfully.
Lila giggled and nodded, still clinging to him. "Whatever you say, Arnie…Whatever you say…"
Rather than a phlegmy snort, Arnie let out a happy sigh and the two of them started heading up the street together, Lila wrapping her arms around Arnie's arm as the walked.
"Um, Lila…I'm only staying for a month until the summer ends but just so you know, during the school year there are nine buses that go out to the country from the city every day, eleven on the weekends, if you wanted to visit me before my next visit here. I counted."
Lila just giggled and nodded…and then added, "And I'm ever so sure that on holidays and long weekends there are thirteen buses that go out to the country. I counted too." She winked at him, then blushed and giggled some more.
Arnie's grin picked up on one side. He moved a little closer to her as they walked on together. He figured there was probably something just as crazy about being attracted by a girl knowing about an extra two busses as there was about Arnold and Helga making out on Arnold's bed a good three to six years ahead of schedule, but what the heck? No one said love was a sane thing in the first place, right?
(Arnie made a mental note to really go through with that 'double date' plan with Arnold and Helga…After all if Arnold was going to be showing off Helga, Arnie certainly wasn't going to let Lila miss her own chance to shine a little in front of everyone too. Not that Helga wasn't great, like he had told her before up in Arnold's room, but…there was just something special about Lila for him…Something just ever so special.)
Helga and Arnold together, Lila and Arnie together, Arnold's parents home at last…All in all, not a bad turn out of events for the end of the summer.
A/N:
Well, that's all for now, guys :) I hope you enjoyed this! Another special thanks to my baby sister, SuprSingr! And please review, everyone ^w^ As for more updates to my other stuff, I'll probably be doing another one shot soon and then maybe another chapter to "April 2nd". "LTBH" won't be until at least July but I promise you fun stuff is one the way ;) Thanks, guys!
Happy Reading!
AXH FOREVER!
~Azure129 aka Jenna