Author's Note: dude, iRO is so freaking addicting xx;; ! I couldn't wait to post this instalment! Hehe, you'll see why. CUE MR FUTURE-HUSBAND HUZZAH! X3 The beginning was so much fun to write, and I'm glad everyone enjoyed the last instalment! Yee, now, to answer your questions:
1. Regarding the cheerleading, read this Instalment :3
2. You WILL find out what's in Ron's drawer... eventually -.-. (gomen!)
3. About Ron's attack on the dudes- it's pretty much self-explanatory. He attacked them because he likes Kim and doesn't want her 'hurt' by them, blahblah. But there's also an additional reason for the fierceness which I was initially going to leave out in an upcoming instalment. I decided to include it, it'll be in instalment 09.
4. Regarding Ron's Fam issues, yush, it will be brought up again :3
5. Fanart? I'd like to, but I'm really busy, it's hard enough to just pump these Instalments out xx;
6. I'm not one for swearing in stories either, but I will use it when I find the character needs to use it, usually of an emphasis of some kind. Say Kim was just blown into a billion pieces by Shego and Ron's all doom and gloom and tearful cos he won't have any KimxRon babies with her now; he might use a bad word when expressing his anger at Shego. It has a different effect than 'Blast you, woman!". I don't use it for casual use.
7. 'Murphey' is from an expression 'Murphey's Law' where 'if anything can go wrong, it will'.
8. My English is correct, even if they're different spelling variations. Deal. They're in my Dictionary. :3
Don't be afraid to ask any questions!
I received so many wonderful reviews for this, THANK-YOU!!! omg, I love you all for reading this story ;; I hope you'll stick with it to the very end, that'd be fantastic I love and read every review, you people r0x0r my s0x0rz!
To thank my reviewers: Me262, John Steppenwolf, Gryfffinrose, Zeldagurli, Sherry, Ashley, Pikastarr, Annie, DragonVampire, Sukari, David Clark Allen, skullman and silver-badger! You pwn my soul a billion times over .. Oh, and to my super-ninja-stealth readers, the lurkers, Ptashi and Loo XD (I tell you Loo, this is really a JimxTim fict in disguise- I KNOW YOU LOVE YOUR INCEST XDD. I'ma go roll off a cliff now...)
-A.KiNG!
¤ Instalment 06»» Day Two: The Revelation ¤
Today was fun,
And tomorrow will surely be fun as well.
"These days will continue forever,"
Or so I thought at the time.
-Ayumi Hamasaki, 'Seasons'
"I had fun with you to-day, Kim," Ron smiled, snuggling himself under the covers.
"Me too!" Kim replied jovially back, her smile was pure to Ron and he could tell she truly meant it with all her heart. The only thing was, did she mean it as friend to friend, or was there something more to it, as Ron had wished?
"Maybe we could go out again to-morrow?" Ron suggested casually, he wanted to manoeuvre around Kim's anxiety of people seeing them holding hands in public. Perhaps if she realized what a good time they had been having, she wouldn't dwell on other things, including her non-date Josh Mankey.
See Kim? You can have a good time without him.
It was true that they had enormous fun that day, even despite all the… 'incidences'. In fact, they actually improved their day. Ron didn't like to admit it, but he was rather thankful for all of Rufus' antics that day, it made it more memorable than if they just had an 'average' day at the mall like they usually did. You can't have the kind of fun they had to-day with Josh Mankey. Ron was just so glad that Kim had thought the day to be fun, instead of complaining about all the negative things that had happened. Maybe she was changing…
"I'd like that. We haven't much else to do, have we? Well, unless Wade has a cure." Kim lightly scratched Ron on the cheek where she had taken off the fake scar and was now on her bedside table.
"Of course," Ron nodded, but he knew Wade would have nothing. Thank-you, Wade! "I'm just sorry we didn't get to go to the Collector's Den for your Rabphin."
Kim sighed, but still smiled, "O, that's ok. Like you said, it'll still be there. I'm patient. I can't wait too long though or they'll retire them."
They positioned themselves comfortably in the bed and sorted out which hands would be stuck together for the night, they decided upon Kim's right and Ron's left. Kim turned off the light, but the moonlight from the picture window swam into the room, allowing for some silver light, just enough to see each others faces.
Ron began to think; yes, he and Kim had a wonderful time together, he'd always remember those looks on Kim's face. When they had made their way home from the mall, she had been so elated, even after she couldn't go on her date with Josh, couldn't purchase her Raphin and all the trouble they had gotten into. (They also probably couldn't show their faces at the mall for a few weeks now which meant no shopping at Club Banana.) He had been able to cheer her up and make her laugh and smile, and it came to them so easily, so naturally… no matter what happened.
And yet… and yet for all the laughable times they had, Ron still felt as though he hadn't been able to break through that barrier. The one separating them from friend to friend to that next level, and Ron felt desperate to break through that barrier while their hands were still stuck. He only had the weekend and then it would be over, Wade was bound to have the breakthrough cure.
Worried that Kim saw their day as just friends, Ron decided he needed another angle.
"Hey… Kim… you asleep?"
Kim's eyes fluttered open, "No, what's up, Ron?"
"I, uh…" Damn. Spoke without thinking. Oo, I always fall for that! "I really enjoyed being with you to-day, it was a lot of fun, except for the Rondalindinson thing."
Kim giggled, making Ron blink a couple of times, "You already said that, Ron! But I had a great time with you too, which I already said. To-morrow, we'll try to have even more fun, ok?"
"Sure, I wanna have as much fun with you now as I can."
This made Kim blink in confusion, "Huh? What do you mean by that, Ron?"
"Well, you and Josh are really going places, huh? I mean, who knows how many days like this we have left? Before you know it, you'll be busy with Josh and he'll be all you want to hang out with, after all, he is… uh, the guy you want. Y'know, a potential mate and stuff."
Kim gazed at Ron intently.
"Remember how you were writing his name in your textbook? 'Mrs Kim Mankey'? What if you guys really do get married someday? You'll be with him all the time and we won't get to hang out as much. And even if you do have time…" Ron found himself choking on his words, "Maybe it won't be so good that we hang out. I mean, it's not like I'm Monique, a girl. Josh may feel weird even if we just hit Bueno Nacho on our own… It's like…"
Ron had been initially going for the 'guilt' approach. Forcing Kim to think about the future, and then contrast it with the day they had together, hoping above odds that Kim would prefer to spend more days like this with Ron forever than with Josh Mankey causing her to eventually feel for Ron they way he wanted her to.
But instead of speaking what he had 'planned' in his mind, he ended up saying what he felt as he went… from his heart; making him realise the possible future as well, and this time, really realise it. And it hurt him; hurt him badly.
"…Friends really do drift apart as they grow older, huh, KP?" A nervous laugh. "At least we will, but hey- I'm glad to have known you for as long as I have… that's good enough for me." That was the honest truth for Ron. He smiled at her; she was silent, but was looking at him deeply, her expression troubled. "Sorry if I bothered you, I don't wanna break up your sleep-"
"Aa, no, Ron, that's ok," she said finally. Her right hand was brought up to her mouth, her thumbnail pressed against her lip and she hugged her plush Pandaroo closer. "Yea, it's… uh, something to think about, huh?"
Ron shrugged, "Not really. It'll happen eventually, right?"
"Perhaps…"
"Well, night, Kim. See you in the morning."
"You too, Ron."
Satisfied, and yet not so satisfied with what he had told her, Ron turned his head to face the window, the moonlight sweeping over his face, he fell asleep.
ø
However, sleep did not come so easily to Kim.
What Ron had said struck a cord with her. She had a tremendous time with Ron that day, even being chased by security guards, popping water bras and nearly running into Bonnie. She had soon forgotten all about Josh Mankey, in fact, she would have kept forgetting about him if Ron hadn't brought him up. Kim never wanted days like this to end (well, she could do without the holding hands part and being forced to stay away from the mall for a month). But what Ron had told her… that was an all-too real possibility, wasn't it? She wasn't sure if she'd hook up with Josh for life, but she wanted to right now at least.
And even if she didn't, she'd find someone else to take his place; the relationship between Kim and Ron would be no better than the future with her and Josh. They'd still have to be distant with each other. He wouldn't come over for breakfast or lunch, maybe dinner on special occasions like Christmas or Thanksgiving. They wouldn't be able to hit the mall whenever they wanted, having a husband meant that she was devoted to him first and foremost. She couldn't just tell Mr Future-Husband that she wanted to hang with Ron instead of him; Mr Future-Husband would be the love of her life. If she said to Mr Future-Husband: 'No, Monique and I are going to hit the mall, you know, girl stuff', that was different. Well, if Ron were fey that'd be different, but he wasn't, so naturally, Mr Future-Husband might grow jealous, even if nothing was happening between her and Ron.
The future suddenly didn't look so hot.
So what were her options? It appeared to be between Mr Future-Husband (keeping in mind that it COULD be Josh Mankey) or Ron. That meant, love or friendship? Naturally, Kim would rather have love, because with love, came friendship, it would be both; with friendship, she was missing that one thing: love. Not friend to friend love, but like Ron had said: 'potential mate' love.
Even though that was one count towards Mr Future-Husband (and it was a big count indeed!), it still felt like nothing without Ron. And as Kim dwelled on it, she realised, she'd pick love over friendship, but then she felt a desire to have Ron over Mr Future-Husband.
This is SO not an easy decision, Kim groaned and stared hard at Pandaroo's face in front of her. Kim thought some more, basically repeating the above thoughts constantly, which soon became a circle and there didn't seem to be any other options. So it came down to love or friendship. Wait, or maybe Mr Future-Husband or Ron… no wait… ugh, it's like a chicken or the egg question!
Hours flew by on the clock unbeknownst to Kim and she slept not a wink. She continued to fret that eternal circle, with still no answers surfacing. As the time flew by, Ron turned to face Kim. She almost opened her mouth to talk to him when she realised he was asleep. His breathing was deep and paced; his eyelids fluttered and twitched from time to time, meaning that he was dreaming, in the REM stage of sleep (Rapid Eye Movement).
What are you dreaming about, I wonder? Kim's thoughts danced across her mind. Wish I could fall asleep as easily as you can…
She continued to watch Ron sleep, he looked like a child when he slept, she thought. Without noticing, she felt herself move closer to him. It was then when she had a dangerous thought.
Who said that love vs. friendship meant love was Mr Future-Husband and friendship was Ron? What if… Could she think it? Did she dare? Was it really that taboo? Just think it, Kim, no-one's listening, no-one will know you thought it, not even Ron.
Ok: Who said Ron couldn't be Mr Future Husband?
There. It was unleashed in her mind. Actually, the more she thought on it… the more the thought didn't feel that wrong. It would mean being able to hang with Ron whenever she wanted. Days like to-day could happen whenever they wanted and they wouldn't even have to tell her parents they were going out.
They'd live together (of course) and that didn't seem too bad, Ron came over so often, he practically lived here. He only went home to sleep and eat (sometimes). True, they were living together now. It was… enjoyable. They'd known each other for so long, being around him constantly felt so typical that for him not to be around her constantly felt so strange to Kim, it even sent goosebumps along her arms and she hugged Pandaroo tighter.
But there was one thing else, the most consequential of all, they'd be married, Ron would have to be the love of her life… that meant….
A hand flew to cover her gasp. She looked at Ron. She continued to look at him. She'd never thought about him… like… like that before. He was a boy, after all, wasn't he? And not just, a boy, but…. a boy, like Josh. Meaning…. he was a BOY. And could… yea… and if they were married, that meant they'd be in love… which would lead to other things, like children, and there was something very important that came in between marriage and children… and… with Ron? Well, she did come to the conclusion that he was, indeed, a boy.
All those times they had fallen on top of one another, Kim had never thought of him as a boy. She began to blush severely for all those times that she should have but hadn't.
Kim continued to watch him in his sleep, his eye flitted a bit as he dreamed. This time, Kim caught herself smiling at him, what was she feeling? Adoration? Towards Ron? But hadn't she always felt that way towards him?
Now that the thought was in her mind, and had been there for awhile now, the idea didn't seem that far-fetched. Well, being with him whenever she wanted, enjoying his presence didn't, but… the other things that came with marriage? She wasn't so sure, she'd never thought of Ron in that way before, it required more thought.
She gave a deep sigh. This was way too much thinking, especially at this hour. For now, she'd just have to clear her mind for to-night. Perhaps the answers would come to her on their own, instead of her chasing for them. Yes, now was a good time to sleep… everything would come clear… eventually…
ø
Kim had the strangest dream last night.
It started out normally enough, but quite soon, things began to change. Both Ron and Josh had been in her dream. She didn't think they'd ever been in the same dream together before. They were each trying to prove something to Kim, but she wasn't sure what. Maybe she forgot when she woke up. Maybe it was never made clear in her dream.
Josh was painting her a monumental mural on some wall that didn't seem to fit in with the background, but then it was a dream. Except, he was using all these insipid colours… dark, murky browns, navy blue, forest green, black… it wasn't pleasing Kim very much.
Ron, on the other hand, was battling Shego, which made no sense whatsoever. But the strangest thing was, every time she struck him, he didn't bleed from her scrapes. No, instead a tear of blood would trickle from his eye and down onto his cheek. They weren't tears caused by pain, they were just… randomly coming out whenever Shego sliced at him.
Since Josh seemed perfectly safe and content painting on with his mural, Kim made to run towards Ron whom she was more concerned for. But every time she took a step towards Ron, a bright colour would sear through the murky colours on Josh's mural. The colours turned into dazzling, eye-ensnaring lights, all her favourite colours too! The colours were so gorgeous Kim would loose her objection to hurry to Ron's aid.
But then… every time she took a step in Josh's direction. Ron's battle with Shego intensified. Shego would dodge more of Ron's attacks and batter him more fiercely than before. More and more blood tears ran from Ron's eye as he continually lost the battle.
Finally, somehow, she was able to pry her eyes away from Josh's mural. She told herself over and over again that Ron was in more danger at the moment. Kim could always look at Josh's painting and stare at the bright lights after she whipped Shego good.
So Kim streaked towards Ron but suddenly a burst of neon pink and piercing blue shot from the mural behind Kim, she could feel it warm her back. She couldn't help herself, she had to look at it. And how gorgeous it had become! Sure, there were bits of dull colour here and there… but so much of it was beautiful… the colours… they wrapped around Kim's eyes, hugged them and gently pulled her forwards to stay with them forever.
Kim lifted a foot to move towards Josh and his painting, but when she planted her foot down on the ground, she felt as if she had stepped into a puddle. Kim thought that maybe it began to rain… but when she looked down she saw not rain… but blood.
Letting out a horrified soundless cry, she tore around to look at Ron. He was covered, drenched and soaked in his own blood (strange, since Shego had no signs of his blood on her). That was it, Kim pulled away from the mural altogether, regardless of the continuous outbursts of more colour desperate to lure her back.
When Kim reached Ron, Shego disappeared. So she bent down to tend to Ron who was kneeling on the ground, his hands splayed in front of him on the blood soaked floor. She placed a hand on his bloody back… Then it was all gone. All the blood had cleared away and Ron had not a spot of blood on himself.
Satisfied that Ron would be alright, Kim decided to now run over to see Josh's painting; it must be finished by now! But when she arrived to where she was sure Josh had been… he was gone. So was his painting. She ran some more, just to see if she was mistaken, but she wasn't.
Odd. O well.
Somewhat dishevelled, she turned and ran back to Ron, the only other person left in her dream. But… but when she arrived… he was dead. His blood his only blanket. Kim cried out and lifted his head into her lap and touched his back again. It revived him before, maybe it could again. But it didn't.
She had lost Ron. She had lost Josh. She looked around. She was alone.
ø
Morning light seeped through Kim's window and alighted Kim in her bed. She stretched as she lay then sat up and rubbed her hair with her hand. Just for the sake of it, Kim tried to take her hand out of Ron's, but they were still stuck. She didn't even sigh this time. But she couldn't help but think to herself: How long are we going to be stuck? Forever?
Not forever, just until Wade found a cure, which he would, Kim was so sure. She'd check in with him later to-day, once Ron awoke.
That reminded her. She turned to see Ron sleeping, not dead, on his stomach beside her, his head buried deep into her fluffy, pink pillow; she couldn't see his face, only the mess of blonde hair on the back of his head. With an absent mind, she picked at his hair, brushing it down into place, he didn't react. They had been stuck for only two nights and seeing him beside her in her own bed didn't alarum or feel abnormal to her anymore. But then thoughts from last night came back.
She stopped touching him, the sudden realisation hitting her. Normally, she wouldn't think much of fixing his hair, but all the thoughts from last night was beginning to distort her image of Ron again.
What if it were Josh beside her instead? Kim wouldn't dare touch him and she'd probably be nervous out of her mind, putting uncomfortable distance between her and him during the night.
A boy in her bed? And her parents approved? That was right, wasn't it? Her parents knew Ron, a boy… a teenage boy, was sleeping in their daughter's bed and it didn't bother them, did it? They were just as ignorant as she had been.
Or was she wrong? Maybe they did know him as a boy, but they just trusted him because they've known him since he was little? She wasn't sure, but she surely wasn't going to ask them. Not that they had have a choice about the two sharing a bed, mind you, it was just they never made a fuss about it.
Kim reached out to touch him again, this time with the knowledge that he was a boy. She knew she was already touching him by holding his hand, but this was different. Much different. Reaching with her fingers, she aimed for the back of his head, to pat his hair…
Ringring
Shock sprang through out Kim's body and she almost fainted in a fall off the bed when the loud noise broke through the morning silence. Clutching her heart and silently cursing the telephone with a large evil eye, she took a moment to intake some breaths before picking up the telephone.
"Hallo..?" Kim spoke into the receiver softly as to not awaken Ron. (No, the telephone hadn't awoken him. The boy could sleep through a hurricane! She kept her voice low nonetheless.)
"Hey, girl!" It was Monique. "You didn't write in your online journal last night! So, spill all—how was the date yesterday? Or did you lock it private? Just tell me and don't leave anything out!"
That was right! The date yesterday… Kim struggled to remember yesterday through the groggy morning cloud her head was in.
It had been so much fun! Sure, they were almost caught by the security, almost charged with goodness only knows what crimes and narrowly missed being banned from the mall… Well, in a way they were, they didn't care to show their faces at the mall for awhile now! But O! How much delight it had been to run and hide, just like on a mission! But instead of being serious, she remembered and felt herself to be light-hearted inside. And how much laughter had been shared… dressing up in strange clothing, almost being recognised by Gil, Wally and Bonnie! Kim would always remember yesterday, no matter what…
"You're not speaking!" Monique laughed, "Does that mean that the date with Josh went good or bad?"
Josh Mankey!
That was right! Monique was talking about the date she as supposed to have had with Josh yesterday! Kim was so glad Monique wasn't here beside her otherwise she would catch Kim blushing up something furious! How could she have mistaken the date she was supposed to have with the day (not date!) with Ron?
What's wrong with me?! Kim sobbed to herself, her hearth thumping.
"I didn't go on the date," Kim admitted to her friend.
"Why on Earth not?!" Monique's voice was shrill with worry.
"Um," Kim wasn't sure what to tell Monique. "Ron and I are sorta stuck holding hands…"
"…" Silence on Monique's end of the phone. Kim didn't know of anything else to say, so she waited for any sort of response. "Is this one of those 'missions gone awry' kinda things?"
Kim inhaled deeply, "Yea. Wade's working on a cure."
"Did you tell Josh why you couldn't go?"
"No! I couldn't tell him that! I just said something came up, but we rescheduled, hopefully for next week. That depends if Wade's found a cure."
"That is terrible timing," Monique sympathized, "Just make sure you keep Josh thinking you're interested. You don't want to give him the wrong vibe. Don't keep blowing him off."
Interested…
"I haven't!" Kim wailed back, "Just this once, that's all. I couldn't bring Ron along with me, would you have?"
Monique laughed, "I guess you're right."
Ron began to stir beside Kim. He flipped around on his side, opening his eyes, he blinked them several times. Realising that Kim was sitting up, he turned onto his back and looked up at Kim on the telephone, his hair still a mess despite the brief combing she had just given him. For some reason, Kim felt her adrenaline rush, but maybe it was a morning chill.
"I gotta go have breakfast," Kim said. "I'll talk to you more some other time, ok?"
"Sure, enjoy yourselves" Kim was positive Monique was grinning slyly when she said that but before she could make a remark, Monique hung up. Kim pressed the button to shut the phone off, stared at it for a few seconds then placed it back on the charger.
She looked down at Ron who was looking back up at her. Kim couldn't find her tongue to say anything again. She couldn't stop herself from thinking about how Ron was looking, lying down next to her… looking up at her… his hair a mess… his eyes half open, still dreary from waking… looking as if…
"Who was that?" he asked finally.
"Monique," Kim replied.
"Ah."
Kim felt that if she stared at Ron any longer, she might start to blush, so she turned to look at the alarum clock on the bedside table.
"I think we should go down for some breakfast," Kim said, pushing the sheets off, feeling more like her old self (and a growl in her stomach). "Then we can contact Wade again."
"O, right."
"I can't believe to-day is only Saturday! I guess it's a good reason it's a long weekend, but things still feel like they're going by slowly, y'know?" Kim said while dragging Ron out of the bed and toward the trap door. Rufus dashed quickly and ran onto Ron's shoulder before he could be left behind.
"Yea, too bad we don't have anything planned to-day."
They walked down the steps, Kim in the lead.
"Actually, that's a good thing," Kim said unexpectedly.
"How so?" Ron asked, giving her a puzzled look which Rufus shared.
"It'll give us a day to work on homework," Kim said and Ron groaned. "I can not believe how much Latin and Math homework we have. It's a good thing it's a long weekend, I don't know if I want to do it all in one sitting."
"Here, here," Ron concurred, finally finding something he could agree on.
Walking into the kitchen, there was only Jim and Tim who were hunched over some papers at the breakfast table while eating a bowl of not-so-healthy cereal.
Kim couldn't help but look around even though it was clear her parents weren't here. "Where's Mom and Dad?" she asked her brothers as she headed to the fridge in search of some food.
"Mom went to the hospital, it was an emergency," Jim answered, looking up from the papers.
"And Dad," Tim added, "Is upstairs working on some stuff for the lab."
"Aa, cool," was Kim's automatic response. To Ron, she said: "So, Ron, what's for breakfast?"
"Depends on what you got."
"Mm, food!" Rufus chattered, rubbing his little rodent tummy.
"I guess we'll be lazy and just have some cereal."
Closing the refrigerator door, Kim moved to the cabinets and reached up high for the box of cereal. She wondered if the Tweebs had climbed up on the counter in their dirty socks for the box or whether her Mom or Dad had brought it down and back again for them. While Kim was taking out some bowls, Ron reached into a drawer for a pair of spoons.
"More," Ron urged when Kim was pouring out the cereal. She sighed and shook the box more. "A little more."
"Ron! There's not going to be any left for me-"
"Wait, stop!!" Ron suddenly blurted out, even grabbing Jim and Tim's attentions who had continued to brood over their papers.
To Kim, Ron looked like he was going to have a heart attack. She studied his face, he was thinking, he had to be... "Ron… If that's too much, I can poor some back, you know…"
"Just a little bit."
Precariously, Kim picked up the bowl with one hand and poured some of the cereal back into the box. The few bits falling onto the counter were eaten by Rufus who jumped off of Ron's shoulder to eat them.
"That's enough," said Ron.
Then Kim poured her own bowl of cereal and then added milk to both bowls. "Stop me before it's too much, ok?" she teased Ron as she poured out his. He gave her a bitter look.
They sat down across of Jim and Tim at the breakfast table, taking a moment to re-orientate their hands so they could both eat comfortably. It didn't take long before Kim's curiosity intensified.
"What are you Tweebs up too?" she asked suspiciously through a mouthful of food.
"None of your business," Jim replied.
"And you should really learn to eat after you've swallowed," Tim grinned.
"It will be Mom and Dad's business if you blow something up again," Kim retorted, ignoring Tim's comment, this time after swallowing her cereal.
"We won't!" Jim insisted.
"What's Ron doing here anyway this early in the morning?" Tim asked.
"In his pyjamas too!"
"You both are!"
Kim half snorted, half sniffed as she stuffed some more cereal into her mouth. After chewing, she said: "We're stuck to each other."
"Oh, I get it," Jim's grin on his face was huge. "You don't have to dumb it down for us, we get it."
"What?" Kim growled through some cereal, milk running down her chin.
Ron perked up from eating his cereal in silence.
"Does Mom and Dad know you're 'stuck'?"
"Yea..."
"And they approved?"
"Approved?"
"Thought Dad didn't like you being with 'boys'," Jim spoke.
"At least you guys were considerate to be quiet," Tim said.
" 'Quiet'..?" Then realisation hit Kim, "Jim! Tim! That's so not what I mean!" Kim lifted her attached hand to show her brothers but they obviously didn't care what the truth was or wasn't.
"It'd be gross if it wasn't Ron," Jim continued.
Ron noted this but continued to keep to himself and out of this conversation.
"Perverts," Kim grunted back. "You're not going to get on my nerves to-day."
As if in revenge, Kim tried to crane her next to see what they were drafting up, but Tim scooped up the papers and Jim ran after him out of the kitchen, leaving their half-eaten cereal bowls on the table.
"You better do your homework!" Kim shouted at their retreating backs. "I suppose we should go do some homework when we're done here," she added to Ron, finishing off her cereal; Ron was already done. She was mildly surprised, but then he shared his food with Rufus didn't he?
When she was done, she picked up her bowl and Ron's his, putting their bowls in the sink for later washing then went back to put away Jim and Tim's bowls.
"Aww, do we have to?" Ron whined, following Kim through the kitchen and back up the stairs.
"Definitely," Kim replied with authority. "Come on, Ron. You can't keep skiving your homework all the time. Do you want to always be in detention?"
"I'm not always!" Ron insisted, jogging to catch up (although still connected, he was a little behind). "The only reason I didn't have my homework done was because of that mission the night before… with the death squad."
"Ron, the homework was from two-days before!"
"I was busy doing other homework. I thought I could do it on the last day. Excuse me for forgetting I'm the sidekick of the world famous teen hero who frequently gets beeped at any random time interrupting one's homework time!"
"… You know, they way you worded that sounded totally wrong in my ears." A huge gin was spread on Kim's face.
Ron furrowed his brow and tried to account what he had said but Kim interrupted him. "Alright, fine. I grant you Immunity of My Disappointment… this time."
"Another three days on the island of Non Kim Disappointment, I feel so special" Ron rolled his eyes.
"Tell ya what," they climbed up the steps to Kim's bedroom, "Why don't we drag our stuff downstairs so we can watch some TV while we work?"
"Booyah!!" Ron cheered, flashing a toothy grin.
"But you gotta pay attention, ok?" Kim cautioned, now picking up her textbooks still in the ziplock bag from their mission and placing them in her backpack to carry downstairs. "Otherwise, I'm hauling you into the kitchen to work where there are no distractions."
"Except the food," Ron winked, grabbing his own school bag.
"Aah, true," Kim blew a strand of hair from her face.
With their backpacks slung over their one free arm, Kim led Ron back downstairs to set up camp on the coffee table. Thankfully, her brothers, Jim and Tim, weren't in the room to cause distraction… or using the television.
While Kim pulled out her (dry) math textbook, Ron eagerly reached for the remote before Kim could gain control and flipped on the large plasma-screen television. Kim pulled out her purple binder with the decorative artsy flowers on it and began flipping open to the math section. Meanwhile, Ron was scanning the channels for something interesting. They sat beside each other, Kim on the left this time, so it was her left arm that crossed over herself to be attached to Ron's left.
"That reminds me," Ron said before Kim could badger him to open his binder, "Wrestling is on to-night, can I watch it?"
"Er-" Kim looked like she was ready to blanch, but she smiled weakly nonetheless. Normally she wouldn't mind, but because she was stuck to Ron, she'd have to watch it too. "Sure," she caved in.
"Thanks, KP! You're the best!" and with more zest than before, he opened up his binder covered in various stickers and magazine cut-outs and pulled Kim's math textbook closer to himself . While his attentions were on reading the review on the exercise page, Kim felt a chill run down her spine and she shuddered softly.
Still feeling as if in a stupor, Kim turned her attention to the television; so that's where the music was coming from, it wasn't just in her mind. Ron had left the television on the music channel, they were showing one of Britina's latest music videos, which came in as number two.
She then watched Ron, watched his eyes move as he read the quick review and then dart over to the problems on the next page. Flicking the mechanical pencil in his hand, he lifted it up and began to write out the problem. She leaned forward slightly, Ron still oblivious to her watching him. His writing was small, a bit messy but legible and stylish. She wasn't sure why she found such great interest in his writing. Maybe it wasn't his writing that interested her?
But she wasn't able to wonder about it anymore for Ron looked at her, looking a little shocked. Was she leaning to close?! she alarumed.
"Do you need to see the textbook?" he asked, pushing it over more towards the middle.
"Oh, um, yea, thanks," Kim flushed, picking up her pencil and stared hard at a blank page in her binder.
Ron smiled back at her, Kim smiled too, but more to herself than to him. Giving one last look at the TV, Ron returned to the math problem. Sighing, Kim read the review before tackling the four assigned pages of algebraic questions.
As they worked, both of them lifting their heads from time to time to watch parts of the music videos or stopping when one of their favourite songs came on. Ron would often poke Kim with the end of his pencil when he was having some difficulty and she'd explain the question as efficiently as she could. Sometimes Ron didn't get it at all, so in explaining, she basically did the problem for him.
"I can't wait until High School is over in June," Ron said after she finished showing him how to do a question. "I'm never taking another math course in my life."
"I'm with you on that," Kim agreed. Just because she was good at math didn't mean she had to like it.
They didn't finish the entire math work, it was becoming so tedious that they decided to put away for the time being and pull out Latin instead. But Latin began to prove just as tedious as math had been. Even taking the short break to look up at the television and the music playing wasn't enough. So they were both thankful when the telephone began to ring on the table beside the chesterfield.
Eager to pick up the phone and pull away from the Latin, Kim finished writing her sentence before placing her led pencil down on her notebook. As if reading her mind, Ron put his own pencil down and prepared himself to follow as she launched herself up from between the sofa and coffee table. Kim bounced on the sofa, Ron kneeling on the floor, to reach for the telephone.
Lying down with her and Ron's stuck hand on her stomach, she said: "Hello, Possible residence. Who's speaking?"
"Is Kim there?" came a rather girly voice.
Kim froze.
"Who is it?" Ron asked from the floor, probably thankful for the distraction so he could take a break from the math.
"Kim? It's Tara," Tara said.
"Hello…"
"You didn't phone me back Friday night. Or yesterday. Did you still want us to come? Marcella is at my place right now. We wanted to phone first before we came over. Can we come? We'll phone Sarah to let her know she can come now."
Shutting her eyes tight, she almost let the phone drop from her released grip. She had totally forgotten about cheer practice at her house to-day! What was she to do?! Kim bit her lower lip and in the background Ron whined to know who was on the phone.
"Augh," was all Kim could say, the phone away from her mouth. She brought it back to say to Tara: "Yea, um… s-sure…"
"Are you positive?" Tara asked, her voice squeaky. "You don't sound too happy."
"No-no," Kim assured Tara, but not herself. "You guys can come…"
Kim was probably going to stammer some more, but Tara broke her off, thinking she was done speaking. "Alright! We'll be over in ten… my Mom has to drive us."
"Alright…" Kim's voice quavered.
"See you soon!" Tara giggled and hung up.
Kim let the phone drop onto the floor and emitted a groan, throwing an arm over her eyes. Ron picked up the phone and placed it back on the charger.
"Well?" he demanded. "Who's coming? Why? What guys?" His face lit up, "Are we having a party?!"
"Mm, popcorn!" Rufus smiled placidly on the coffee table.
Kim opened her eyes and removed her arm to glare at Ron from the corners of her eyes, "No." She sighed and sat up, "Ron, what am I going to do?! Tara, Marcella and Sarah are coming over!!"
Ron looked at her sceptically, "Why'd you invite them then?"
"Ron!" Kim declared, "Don't you remember? Thursday, after school? I told Tara that they could come over for practice! Ugh, I can't bounce around with you being stuck to me!"
Looking uncomfortable, Ron fidgeted in his seat. "You could have told them not to come…"
"I panicked!" Kim cried waving her free arm in the air.
"Should we tell them we're stuck?" Ron asked softly.
"No! We'll… I'll…" Kim struggled to figure out a plan. Her eyes darted in anxiety and she bit her lower lip.
Ron sat himself up on the sofa beside Kim. "Don't look at me, I don't have any ideas."
"Do you ever?" Kim smirked teasingly. Ron scowled and Kim playfully poked him in the ribs with her elbow, he reacted by returning the poke. Well, if that that was the way it was going to be, she'd have to get him back. They burst out in laughter as they fought to poke each other and yet shield themselves from the other.
Laughing out loud, Kim fell backwards on the sofa again, her arm over her stomach, "Aa, my diaphragm!" she cried as tears formed in the corner's of her eyes.
"That'll teach you to mess with me!" Ron pretended to look tough by flexing his arm muscle.
Kim laughed, trying to cover her mouth with her free hand. "Ron, you haven't any muscle to flex!"
"Yea, then what's this?" He launched forwards in a poke.
"No, stop!" Kim wailed, throwing back her head in more laughter, she tried to kick Ron away, but he wouldn't leave.
"Ow!" Ron complained when Kim's foot connected with his stomach. "That's sensitive," and he rubbed his stomach tenderly.
"Aww, you poor bebi," Kim mocked, still laughing. "You deserved it." Kim sat up, combing her now messy hair back into place with her free hand. "Ugh, now I have knots, thanks much."
"Your welcome," Ron replied moodily.
"Now listen here, we haven't figured out what we're-"
Ding-Dong!
"Ohmygoodness!" Kim blurted out, sitting up straight, she swivelled her head around, whacking Ron in the face with her massive hair.
"We'll get it!" cried Jim and Tim who seemed to have surfaced out of thin air. Kim was in such a state of panic that she couldn't find her tongue to disagree. Jim and Tim leapt and bounded over to the front door and reached up so they could reach the knob.
Frightfully, Kim desperately grappled for something, anything, looking at everything in her line of sight for some sort of plan. Ron just looked on, bemused. As soon as Jim and Tim pulled open the door, Kim snatched the blanket folded neatly on the back of the sofa and threw it across herself and her including Ron's connected hands. From the nose up was she only visible.
"Hi!" came Tara's voice from outside the door. "Kim said we could come over."
"Sure, she's on the sofa," Jim said.
Tim turned around to look at Kim, "Pretending she's sick."
Kim chucked a nearby television remote aimed at Tim, but it hit Jim. "Tweebs!" Kim cried, her voice muffled behind the blanket.
This was enough to make Jim and Tim scramble up the stairs (where they supposedly came from in the first place) but not before sniggering all the way.
Tara and Marcella let themselves in, locking the door behind them. Marcella bent down to pick up the television remote and placed it back on the coffee table when she and Tara reached Kim on the chesterfield. Tara placed their gym bag with their pom-poms and cheer uniforms down at the foot of the sofa.
"Are you really sick?" Marcella asked, taking a step backwards; Tara, however, suddenly stopped being so talkative.
Kim faked a cough from under the blanket. Ron had to admit it sounded pretty convincing. "Um… ya…" She gave another cough for flavour.
"Did you catch it yesterday?" Marcella asked, sitting cross-legged on the floor, but still a little ways away from Kim and Tara took a seat on the sofa. "Because you looked fine at cheer practice."
They all thought they heard Tara mumble something like: "And you sounded alright on the phone."
"Yea, it came on rather suddenly," Kim tried to sound ill. She exchanged a glance at Ron whose expression was nonexistent. "Yesterday, it came… I think I caught something that was going around. That's why I didn't phone you, Tara."
Ron felt a kick from under the covers and he scowled, but no-one noticed. Picking up on the cue, he added, "I came over as soon as I heard Kim was ill." He grinned turning to Tara beside him, "You wouldn't believe it, there was mucus everywhere. She was practically swimming in it!" A sharp kick in the hip almost landed elsewhere.
"When did you come over to Kim's?" Tara asked.
"Uh," Ron thought hard, "I was… to-day."
"O," Tara remarked, looking at Ron in his blue pyjamas. He looked down at them too, suddenly realising all too late, his own folly.
"I…" Ron stammered. He felt another kick underneath the blanket so he shot a glare at Kim. "Rushed over really fast… she phoned me early in the morning, y'see…. When I was still in bed, she was totally barfing all over her bed—I could hear it and" (another jab in the thigh, he grunted) "I was way past freaked for her, so Rufus and I rushed right over."
"Wow…" Tara said in awe, gazing at Ron, her hands clasped together. Ron grinned and puffed up his chest as if to look more heroic.
"Poor you!" Marcella pitied Kim. "I'm surprised there's not a bucket down here for you." (Kim and Ron exchanged nervous glances.) "I… don't think we should practice to-day. Should we just go home? Sarah is still on her way though, we phoned her before we left Tara's."
"Um…"
"Did you get to go on your date yesterday?" Tara piped up suddenly, startling everybody else. Rufus leapt from the coffee table and landed on Ron's lap and he began to stroke his pet.
"What date?" Marcella asked, suddenly interested.
"N-no," Kim stammered, adding a few coughs. "I had to cancel; I wasn't feeling up to it."
"Who was it with?" asked Marcella, the only person who didn't know.
"With Josh Mankey," Tara answered for Kim. She looked at Ron, then at Kim as if to ask if she was right.
"Yea," Kim confirmed. "But we're going to reschedule, for sure."
The door bell rang again, this time, Marcella being the closest, went to answer it. To no-one's surprise, it was blonde-haired and freckled Sarah with her brown-bear backpack on. Marcella let her in and disclosed the 'terrible news' to Sarah.
"Don't come near me!" Sarah wailed, sitting behind the coffee table, "I was just sick over the last few weeks of summer, I can't catch anything again!"
"Yea, you definitely don't want what Kim has. I mean, this morning, her eyes were so puffy and swollen-" Ron sensed another kick coming his way, so he quickly shuffled himself, narrowly avoiding Kim's foot. Tara made a little gasp when he more than bumped into her. "So I suggest you stay far away from Kim."
"What about you," Sarah asked Ron, eyeing Kim with much trepidation.
"I'm… immune because… I've had it already."
Marcella frowned, "Has she the chicken pox?"
Deceiving Ron's honesty, he glanced at Kim who still remained mostly hidden under the blanket. "No, it's… something, uh, not the chicken pox."
"I guess we could go and practice at Bonnie's instead," Marcella suggested, looking at Tara and then Sarah behind her.
Ron watched as Kim's eyes flashed dangerously, alight with the flair of competition with her school rival. Don't betray yourself in the process… Ron worried she might announce in a sudden flurry that she was fine, only to reveal her and Ron's stuck hands in a moment's forgetfulness. But thankfully, Kim said and did nothing. He could still feel her legs fidget underneath the covers with upset, occasionally bumping Ron.
"I guess so, I think Hope is at her house to-day," Sarah added knowledgeably. "I heard them in the change rooms talking about getting together to study."
"But knowing Bonnie, she might mean 'go to the mall in search for hot boys'," Marcella winked.
"I wouldn't mind that," Sarah sighed.
Ron couldn't help himself, the opening was there. "Ladies, there's on right here." He brandished his free hand at himself.
Marcella coughed into a fist, Sarah gave him a sceptical look, Tara giggled and Kim gave Ron another swift kick. He was positive he'd have a bruised leg the next morning.
"Not that she ever could be free to hunt out boys at the mall," Marcella tasked.
"Gil?" Kim asked then added a cough.
"It's so obvious he likes her," Marcella laughed.
Sarah smirked, "And it's not like she discourages him."
"I wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't at Bonnie's already!" Sarah grinned slyly.
"Alright," Marcella stood up and picked up her duffel bag. "I guess we should phone Bonnie first. Can I use your phone, Kim?"
Even though only Kim's eyes and nose were visible, peeking out from underneath the blanket, she looked very reluctant to nod her head.
While Marcella was on the phone, Tara turned to Ron. "D-did you want to come with us? To practice?" She looked at his pyjamas. "We could stop by your place to pick up your uniform."
Ron shook his head, "Naw, Rufus and I better stay here with Kim. You know, just in case she starts hackin' up more mucus and who knows what else." Anticipating Kim's scheduled kick, Ron timed himself, lifting himself up, and then sitting down on Kim's feet. Kim let out some sort of sound of indignant shock.
"O, can't her parents look after her?"
Kim coughed, "My Mom's at work and… and my Dad's way too busy. Ron had better stay here. With me. In case I pass out."
Tara's eyes widened (they were so normally wide, it was amazing they could be widened anymore). "It's that bad?" she asked in astonishment.
"'Fraid so." Ron nodded grimly, his chin between his thumb and pointer finger and Rufus nodded too, now perched on his shoulder.
"Then I am definitely not hanging around here for long," Sarah grimaced, looking around the house as if Kim's 'germs' were lurking every which way, poised to attack her.
Marcella hung up the phone, she chuckled. "Bonnie has caller ID, she thought I was Kim!"
Kim grunted.
"Anyway, she said we could come over! But she told us Gil would be there."
"He can be our water boy then!" Sarah replied smugly.
"Liz and Crystal are going to be so upset that they missed out on some practice!" Tara wailed.
"We could phone them on the way there," Sarah suggested. "Then we could all practice! Well…" she turned to Kim. "Except you Kim. But it's not a good idea that you come, we don't wanna catch… er, I mean, we don't want you to get worse, right? Or pass out."
"Yea…" Kim genuinely moaned.
"I have to tell my Mom though," Tara said nervously. "How are we going to get to Bonnie's? We have our learner's, but we're not allowed to drive without a licensed driver in the car."
They all contemplated on the matter.
"I guess we could just walk it," Marcella finally said.
"O!" Sarah complained, "My legs are going to be too tired to practice once we get there."
"Suck it up," Marcella retorted. She turned to Kim, "Bye Kim. We hope you feel better soon."
"Yea," Sarah agreed. "We don't want you to miss practice! We need you on point, alright?"
Ron was sure Kim was smiling underneath the blanket.
Tara stood up to join the two girls, "See you at school on Tuesday, Ron!"
Ron nodded and watched the girls leave out the front door. As soon as the door shut, Kim threw the blanket off of herself; it landed on the floor.
"I can't believe this!!" she shouted out loud causing Ron to wince, she pulled her feet out from underneath him. "Augh, why is that Bonnie wins even when she's not here?!? This is so unfair! They're all going to be there without me and I'm the head cheerleader! I'll tell you something," she pointed a deadly finger at Ron and he froze. "Bonnie is going to rearrange my routine and steal my point! This. Is. RIDICULOUS!"
Kim let out a loud and long growl, clenching and waving her fist in the hair. She tossed herself backwards onto the sofa in such a flurry. She whined and moaned, her arm thrown over her eyes, waving her folded legs from side to side.
"KP," Ron called softly, she didn't react. She continued to lay and moan. "There's nothing you can do. Let's just continue with our H-work, ok?" He reached out to gently comfort her on her shoulder, but she sat up with such speed that she almost banged heads with Ron.
"No, we're going upstairs. Come on." Ron wasn't able to ask what for. Kim just jerked him off the sofa and back up to her room.
Ron wasn't too surprised when she sat down in front of the computer and opened up the port to talk to Wade. He was munching on a sandwich and typing something or other.
"Wade, what's the hand-holding sitch?"
He looked somewhat surprised to see her, although Ron wasn't sure why. After placing down his sandwich, he dusted off his hands and turned to greet Kim.
"No update, I'm afraid. It's the long weekend, the lab is still closed."
"C'mon, Wade! Somebody has to be there."
"Like who?" Ron asked, "The janitor?"
"Not helping," she glared at him and he felt himself shrink behind the chair.
Wade sighed and moved his keyboard aside. "Kim, I'm doing everything I can. There is no update."
Quite rudely, Kim shut off the computer improperly and let out a grunt as she sulked in her chair, an arm crossed over her bare belly, the other hanging limply to the side holding Ron's hand.
"You're just upset about Bonnie right now, KP."
Kim looked at Ron through the corner of her eyes, she didn't look content in the least.
"C'mon, I know you," Ron smiled, "If Bonnie tries anything to-day-"
"Bonnie will."
"Then come Tuesday, you'll put her in her place. You know you can. I know you can."
Ron kneeled on the floor at the base of Kim's chair, studying her facial features. He noticed her mood changing, from full-blown anger to pensive. Her eyes darted to him, then looked away again looking flushed or worried, continuing to brood.
Her voice softened, "Yea?" she asked, looking at him differently.
"Totally." Ron nodded with encouragement.
Kim smiled and sighed then pushing herself out of her chair, she led Ron back downstairs where they could continue with their homework.
ø
They worked for hours, exactly how many, Kim had lost track of. If she really wanted to figure out how many hours they drudged on with school work, taking a break here and there to watch some music videos, Kim could clock the hours since breakfast. But she had completed all of the math homework for the long weekend and she was sworn off any sort of math for the rest of the weekend, except to help Ron, who still had a page and a half left to work on.
She shut her binder with the feeling of exhausted accomplishment, even though she'd have to open it again to start on another subject. She wished Wade would beep in about a mission, she had the Kimmunicator beside her on the coffee table next to her water. (She and Ron had taken a quick break to grab some water and a quick bite to eat. That was probably around lunchtime). But he hadn't beeped in. Half of her wanted to beep him anyway and beg for some sort of mission. Someone somewhere on this planet had to require her help, but she knew that would just be procrastinating. Besides, Ron would be forced to come with her, and she decided he really needed to stay and finish his homework.
Yawning, she leaned back on the floor, leaning against the base of the sofa and stretched her arms and legs. Looking around to ease her eyes from staring at her binder the whole time, she discovered it must be sometime in the evening: it was dark outside. She looked down at herself. She couldn't believe she stayed in her pyjamas the whole day.
She wondered what Bonnie could have been up to with the cheer squad, but decided to abandon that thought as she knew it would just steam her up. It had made her so mad earlier that day, it actually reminded her to contact Wade. Otherwise she would have continued to forget. Not that contacting Wade had done anything.
"Hey," Kim finally said to Ron. "When does your wrestling start?"
Ron looked up from his binder at the clock. "Half an hour," he replied. He instantly turned back to the math problems.
Kim supposed she should pull out the Chemistry homework, so she dragged her backpack closer to her and pulled out the green textbook. Sluggishly, she pulled her planner close to her and read which page she had logged. She was at the point where she wished half-an-hour would just fly by and Ron's wrestling would start so it could give her some reason to cease homeworking.
With all the work they had to do, they'd probably be at it again to-morrow.
After giving herself a good talking to about procrastinating, she pulled herself forward and tackled the Chem. homework, although she couldn't help but go at it slowly.
She didn't believe she'd been happier for wrestling in all her life!
When it was time, Ron stopped homework as if it was intuition and leapt backwards onto the sofa, remote in hand and naked mole-rat on his shoulder. Sitting herself backwards and letting out another yawn, she watched the television as Ron changed it to the appropriate channel.
About fifteen minutes into the show, Kim was mildly stunned that her brothers hadn't come down to watch, but all for the best anyway, she shrugged. They wouldn't be here to cause a ruckus.
Giving another large yawn, Kim decided to lie back on the sofa, her head prompted up by a side pillow. Ron shifted himself over, so his arm attached to hers wouldn't have to stretch and Rufus now on the back of the sofa.
Kim supposed wrestling was an hour long event, it sure seemed that way. But she was either too tired or too lazy to look at the clock. Drowse must have been overcoming Ron too despite watching two guys socking it to each other in fake violence, as exciting as that was supposed to be. He lay back as well, behind Kim. She lowered herself so Ron could still see the television set. Rufus who didn't want to be left out so he curled himself into a sleep in front of Kim on what little space there was left on the sofa.
Kim pulled the blanket out from underneath her where she left it after picking it up from the floor and threw it overtop of herself, her eyes beginning to droop. Fussing, Ron pulled some of the blanket for himself too and Rufus pulled it up high so it would cover him too. Ron and Kim's left hands were still attached and Kim was lying on her left side, so Ron cast his connected arm over Kim. But that became uncomfortable, so he switched it to his right.
She would have fallen asleep, she was positive of it, she was that tired. But noise came when the rattling of keys jingled from outside the door and Mrs Possible came home.
See? Kim told herself. You were so tired, you didn't even hear the car pulling up in the driveway…
"Hi, Kimmie," her Mother greeted her serenely, picking up on Kim's sleepy state.
"Hi, Mom," Kim yawned. "We were doing our homework… Dad's upstairs working and… and the Tweebs are blowing stuff up again."
"Well, I'll go and see what they're up to then, hadn't I?" Kim nodded. Her Mother smiled at her, "Don't go to sleep yet, you two. Have you had dinner?"
"Aa, no!" The thought had completely escaped her mind. "But we had breakfast and lunch."
"I'll make something easy to-night. I think you two are going to hit the sack early to-night, h'm?"
Kim grinned, "Probably. Or at least I am."
"See you in the kitchen soon." Mrs Possible left the sitting room and padded up the stairs. Kim forgot to tell her Mother that she and Ron were still stuck.
"Are you hungry?" Kim asked Ron. She felt him stir behind her. She looked up to try and see him, but it made her neck too sore.
"A little," he replied.
Feeling very comfortable, Kim snuggled under the blankets some more. They felt so entrancing… "I'm just too tired to eat to-night, but if you want dinner, I'll come."
"Ok."
Kim playfully elbowed his chest behind her. "You're supposed to say 'don't bother'."
"Why? I'm hungry. Rufus is too, aren't you?"
A loud snore from Rufus.
They both laughed softly.
"Then after dinner, let's head to bed ok? No more homework," Kim insisted, sighing laxly in the warmth.
"Fine by me!" Ron eagerly agreed.
For no reason at all, they laughed together again pleasantly, both unconsciously snuggling under the blankets, and in doing so, snuggling closer to each other. Then, both feeling at the utmost of comforts, Kim leaned back and allowed herself to close her eyes… her Mother would wake her for dinner… or if she didn't, Ron would.