Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.
They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.
Title: "Leave the lights on"
In the last chapter: After the rumors about Helga slapping Lila had stilled, but not disappeared, the boys decided to invite themselves to Arnold's house. Despite not being fully up for it, Arnold agreed.
Arnold still hadn't told most of the boys the truth about what happened at Rhonda's party, but after some encouraging from both Helga and Gerald, he finally told them and the boys forgave Helga for slapping Lila.
After a few words that hit Arnold's heart hard from Gerald, he confessed his feelings to Helga who didn't have a single word to say to his confession.
Author's 1st note: You will finally get to hear a little more about what Helga's thinking in this chapter. But I'm still sticking to what I have said before: This is mostly from Arnold's POV; we will only be graced with Helga's thoughts when she talks about them.
[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]
Chapter 11: "A step above me"
Arnold wasn't sure for how long he had been sleeping. Only that he felt heavy when he woke up. His mind was blank; where was he? This wasn't the ceiling he usually woke up to. He tried moving, but something was holding him back and it wasn't his own newly-awakened muscles. He looked down and saw blonde locks, which were not his own, on his chest. He moved them aside and saw what was, in that moment, the most beautiful face in the world.
Memories from last night flooded back in Arnold's mind. He heard himself confess to Helga, he felt her kiss him and he saw her gesture for them to sit down on the armchair. They had fallen asleep after that.
Arnold hugged Helga tightly like he had done the night before, but this time it was out of happiness and not sorrow. She hadn't said anything, he still didn't know how she felt, but he was just so grateful she hadn't pushed him away. She was still here; she was still in his arms.
"You're squishing me… again." Helga mumbled against Arnold's neck.
"Sorry…"
"… You're still not letting go."
"I don't want to." Arnold announced and held her tighter for emphasis.
She snorted. "You're going to have to before our parents come home and find us like this."
Arnold groaned, but he knew she was right so he let go. She stretched her arms before moving to stand up. She seems so… natural. Arnold thought, not in disappointment, but in awe.
"Helga." He said softly and the blonde girl looked back at him. "I just… want to thank you for last night. You had every right to maybe freak out or even get angry. I mean, you made it clear that you're not interested in love so I thought you'd get disappointed with me… so I'm just really happy you took it so well."
Helga's facial expression changed instantly. It went from drowsy to… to what exactly, Arnold couldn't see. "Oh. Uh, sure…" she mumbled and looked away. She had an odd and pensive look in her eyes.
Arnold observed her quietly, but he couldn't figure out what she was thinking at all. "Helga, are you ok?"
"Huh…? Yeah. Why?" she asked and looked at him. He didn't say anything and neither did she. It was quiet for a bit, but then she took a step towards the door. "I'm, uh, gonna head upstairs to change."
"Oh, o… kay." He responded, but she wasn't listening. He could not just see, but even hear her dress swishing as she jogged up the stairs. I guess… she's not as ok with it as I thought… He thought in disappointment, but then shook his head violently. No. Don't be like that. He told himself. It's understandable that she's reacting this way. I'll just give her some space.
Arnold did indeed give Helga space; in fact he gave her so much, she didn't even have to be sneaky about getting ahold of Phoebe and bringing the girl out of the school in order to talk with her alone. Phoebe wasn't just a smart girl, she also knew of Helga's habits and her quirks and she knew this wasn't just a friendly outing. The taller girl had this pensive look in her eyes, which usually only appeared if something had shocked her or if she had a question in her heart she couldn't answer herself. Phoebe was curious, but knew better than to question her. She waited patiently under the tree in Hillwood park while her blonde friend was lazily molesting the grass she was sitting next to.
"Phoebe." Helga finally said softly. So softly that Phoebe wasn't sure if she really had said her name, but decided to speak anyhow.
"Yes?" she questioned.
"… Would you say that… if you kiss someone that means you love them or you love someone because you kiss them?"
Phoebe's eyes widened a bit, but enough to make her glasses fall down her nose. She readjusted them and hummed thoughtfully. "I'm assuming that what you're asking is… whether someone can kiss you without it meaning they are in love with you?" she asked. Helga nodded, still looking at the grass rather than her friend. Phoebe hummed. "Well, I suppose that in this day and age, love and sex don't necessarily go hand-in-hand. Sex is - - "
"Who said anything about sex?" Helga interrupted, looking at Phoebe with her eyebrows knitted together.
Phoebe frowned at her friend's stubbornness. "Very well… Kissing is not as much as a taboo as it has been before, so naturally some people are willing to be intimate with someone without necessarily harboring any feelings for that someone."
"So kissing doesn't have to lead to an actual relationship?"
"Not necessarily… Helga, why are you asking this?"
"… Is it wrong to assume that a person is in love with you because they let you kiss them then?"
"Well… I personally think that people should always make it verbally clear what they want… and before it's been said out loud, how can anyone be sure what the other is thinking? Love is not just about showing it, it's also about voicing your feelings."
"So what you're saying is…?"
"Yes and no… I wouldn't call it wrong to assume a person likes you if they kiss you since in today's world a kiss doesn't have to mean anything… but I suppose it depends on the situation."
Helga sighed before letting herself fall down in the soft grass behind her. "For once, you have been of no help, Phoebs…"
Phoebe lifted herself off the ground with her palms and sat back down again once she was facing Helga. "Which one of these hypothetical characters are you in this scenario?"
The blonde's lips turned into two thin lines. "The one… who has been told the other is in love with her."
"I wasn't aware you were currently intimate with someone." Phoebe stated and looked away thoughtfully. Then she frowned. "It's not Wolfgang, is it?"
"Phoebe!" Helga scolded and sat back up.
"I just had to be sure." Phoebe apologized with a small grin, but it disappeared soon. "So… now you're unsure what to do because this person you've been physical with has fallen in love with you and you don't feel anything for him?"
"… That's the bigger issue though…"
"What is?"
"Whether I feel something for him or not…" Helga admitted in a low voice, almost ashamed of what she was confessing.
"Helga." Phoebe said in awe and readjusted herself so she could see her friend's face.
"Don't give me that look."
"I'm sorry, but… I've known you for so long, I…" Phoebe said and put her hand to her mouth, her eyes completely wide in wonder. "I never thought you'd consider giving someone a place in your heart…"
"Oh, must you put it like that?!" Helga hissed. "As if this whole situation is fucked up enough, you're trying to make it sound like a sappy love story!"
"Why is it a mess, Helga?" Phoebe asked. Helga simply shot her friend a dirty look though before turning her head away. "And then you clam up…" the shorter girl muttered and sighed. She bit on her lower lip for a moment, considering the best way to phrase her next question. It had to be simple and straightforward. "What happened?"
"I… I don't know, honestly." The blonde admitted. "I'm not sure which one of us even started this. It seemed so… I don't know, indifferent and innocent in the beginning, but then it turned… it turned real all of a sudden and everything became such a mess."
"When he told you he was in love with you?"
"No, before that actually."
"Before?" Phoebe probed in surprise.
Even Helga seemed surprised at her own words. "Yeah… actually, I was already starting to question my own feelings before he told me about his…" she said before groaning and hiding her face in her hands. "I'm in really big trouble, Phoebs. This is so bad."
"First things first, we should try to figure out if you do indeed have feelings for him."
"How?"
"Hypothetically speaking…" Phoebe said in a small cough. "If I said you weren't allowed to touch him… how does that make you feel?"
"I'm already not allowed to touch him, Phoebs."
"Already?" Phoebe repeated questioningly. Helga looked up at her friend, waiting for the truth to sink in. It didn't take too long and Phoebe's eyes widened more than they had done before. "Oh… Oh, Helga. Of all people - - "
"I don't know! It just happened! But sure, give me the whole shebang; tell me we're disgusting, that we're sick and we're selfish."
"Why would I say that?" Phoebe asked genuinely. Helga's jaw almost dropped to the ground, but she forced her teeth to stay together. "Well, yes, it's not a very common situation and perhaps it is questionable to some, but you haven't done anything lawfully wrong."
"Tell that to our parents."
"Oh, dear Lord. Do they know?"
"Of course not! You think we're insane? Well, our sanity is definitely questionable after the mess we have made together, but we haven't lost it just yet."
"It still leaves us with my former question." Phoebe said seriously. "Imagine not being allowed to touch him at all, not even a hug… how does that make you feel?"
"Isn't… Isn't this just a physical question?"
"On the contrary. We feel the need to touch someone special if we crave them as a person. If what you feel is just physical, it shouldn't be too difficult to stay away. Now, answer my question." Phoebe ordered gently. She watched as Helga's face eventually went from stale to brooding to downright frustrated. "I wonder if you are in fact thinking or if you are simply stalling so you don't have to face the truth."
Helga responded by letting her forehead hit her bended knees. "I don't know… I simply don't know how I feel…"
"What do you know then?" Phoebe questioned.
Helga inhaled slowly, as if bracing for impact. "I don't hate that he's in love with me…" she said and looked at Phoebe who smiled softly. "Crap… that's answer enough, isn't it?" the blonde asked to which the Asian girl nodded her head. Helga let her chin fall in Phoebe's shoulder as she cursed under her breath. She really was in bad trouble.
It had been a long time since there had been this awkward silence between himself and Helga; he didn't like it very much. He forced himself to keep quiet, silently waiting for Helga to say something… anything. That moment never came and so when they reached home, he was sure they would go to their own rooms and they wouldn't see each other again until dinner.
When Arnold reached for his door though, he heard Helga say his name. He turned around in surprise, his eyes gleaming with hope. "Uh, yes?" he probed. He watched as she leaned against the door, fiddling with her fingers. His hope faded.
"Could I… request something from you that might not make any sense?"
"Uh… s-sure, Helga. Anything."
Helga smiled momentarily at his obedience; it was oddly sweet he wanted to please her so much. "Could you… not touch me today?"
Arnold's chest jolted at her words, unsure of how to react to the way his heart stopped beating. It was a simple request, she had even added "today" rather than ever, but it still hurt to be asked of such a thing. "Uh… well, yes, but… why are you…?"
"I know it sounds weird, but… just trust me. I'll, uh… explain it tonight. Just try it… ok?" she asked and finally looked into his eyes. He felt his head nod even though he wanted to shake it as if his life depended on it. Even as he watched her walk into his room, he still wanted to tell her no. Tell her he hated being denied touching her; especially because he didn't know why. He clenched his hands into fist, ignoring how much he wanted to knock on her door and demand an explanation. Demand to know why she had changed her mind so suddenly. But he didn't. He went into his room, like the obedient boy that he was, and he stayed there until it was time for dinner.
It felt like years before Arnold saw Helga again that day. She still seemed to be in an off mood, but she also seemed less confused somehow. Perhaps she had come to a decision, but was now pondering how to go about it? He feared what she would tell him later. He was scared out of his mind and he didn't understand why she had been so acceptant last night if she was just going to act like this the next day.
Arnold shut his eyes tight, silently praying his dad and Miriam wouldn't question him right now. He had felt their stares, but they had yet to question him about anything. They were busy talking about the wedding and about the job interview Miriam had been to today. If she got the job, it would be the first time in year she'd work. She was apparently looking forward to it, but was also a little nervous about the whole thing. Miles was too busy trying to mend her worries to ask Arnold what was going on and his son was in fact grateful for that; he really couldn't imagine dealing with this verbally as well. His heart was screaming enough as it was.
Arnold could feel his dull nails digging into his right thigh, struggling to look normal as he ate with his left hand. Since he was left-handed it didn't feel unnatural, but everything else in this situation felt abnormal. His thigh was almost starting to hurt when he felt skin on the back of his hand. He opened his eyes and looked at his plate, ignoring the urge to look at his lap. He could feel fingertips tickling his skin and he moved a finger up to meet the hand. The fingers accepted his touch and even tangled with his own under the table.
She's the only one who can reach me… Arnold had to remind himself. Helga was sitting next to him on his right, Miles was to his left and Miriam was to Helga's right. It was a rectangular table with smooth edges, but Miles and Miriam were slightly separated from Arnold and Helga; there was no way any of them could reach him under the table. It's Helga's hand…
Arnold had to hold back the sight of relief he felt growing in his throat. Just feeling her skin on his was heavenly and he tightened his hold around her hand to feel more of her warmth on his sensitive palm. She tightened back before moving her hand upwards, her fingers tickling his palms in the process. He feared she would remove her hand completely, but she simply started making small patterns in his palm. It tickled and his fingers naturally moved to shroud around hers and she let him. It was an oddly tender moment just like last night, but it didn't last nearly as long.
Once they were both done with their dinner, Miriam and Miles told them they could just leave the plates and go to their rooms if they wanted to. Helga moved almost instantly and Arnold couldn't help but follow her though he thanked for the meal before leaving. He followed her up the stairs, trying to keep up with her anything but dawdling pace. She walked into his room rather than her own and he barely got in before she slammed him up against his door, closing it in the process.
"Helga - - " he barely got to finish her name before she kissed him with a sudden passion he didn't know where was coming from. His eyes shot closed in shock and his mouth responded naturally. He heard the sound of his door locking and figured Helga had locked it since his own hands were on her hips. He wouldn't have thought of locking it to begin with anyway. He tried saying her name, but her kisses muffled his voice and it turned into a groan when she pushed him towards the bed, her mouth never leaving his.
"Helga!" Arnold finally said and let himself fall backwards with Helga straddling him. She was looking down at him, panting heavily, but also waiting for him to talk. "As happy… as I am… and I really am…" he continued and forced himself to breathe slower. "You have to talk to me… I can't take it. I need to know what you're thinking…"
Helga breathed a couple of times, urging it to go slower. She closed her mouth and was about to move away, but Arnold grabbed her wrists and kept her there. She didn't try to budge, but simply kept looking at him.
"What I'm… thinking…?" the blonde girl repeated to which the blonde boy nodded seriously. "I'm not really good at being honest like that…"
Arnold gulped at that. He knew he had to mind his words. "Please… for me?" he tried softly.
She snorted. "That's low…" she muttered jokingly, but the smile quickly faded. She made something that resembled a growl before pulling one of her hands up to her head and scratching it. "I… didn't like not touching or seeing you for so many hours…"
"Huh?" Arnold mumbled, his eyes widening only a tiny bit in surprise.
Her hand fell to his chest, her fingers lightly touching him. "I talked to Phoebe today… I told her about what's been going on between you and me… or more like she figured out it was you I was talking about." His stepsister admitted and his eyes widened all the more.
"What?" he gasped and sat up, looking at her intensely, which caused her to look away. "What… did she say?"
"Nothing special, not that I had expected her to." Helga replied, about to cross her arms, but unwilling to let go of Arnold's hand. "She said the bigger issue was for me to figure out how I felt… She's known me my whole life, Arnold and frankly, she was more shocked that I hadn't pushed you away after you told me how you felt…" she chuckled. "That was more shocking than the fact I am kissing my stepbrother on a daily basis."
Arnold wanted to chuckle as well to relieve the tension, but he couldn't bring himself to so he simply gulped. "Then… what did she have to say about… about everything else?"
Helga's smile faded again and she turned her head even further away. "Um… she basically told me to… try and imagine not being allowed to be around you… I couldn't imagine it properly… that's why I told you to stay away from me today." She explained quietly. "I hoped it could cast some light on… how I feel."
Those words made Arnold's heart stand still. He gulped once more and unconsciously tightened his hold on Helga's hand. "And… what did you… find out?" he asked. He wanted to believe her kisses meant she felt something for him, but he didn't want to be overzealous; not yet, not with this.
Helga seemed to hesitate or perhaps she was considering her words carefully. "I… don't know how I feel, Arnold… I've never had to think about it before because I never had any doubts, but… I know that I'm not repulsed with you for how you feel, which has been my former reaction whenever someone told me they liked me even a little bit… I want to tell you that it means something, but I honestly don't know. I just know that I… didn't like not being around you today… and the thought of that becoming the norm… scares me. Uh, no. Not scares, more like… oh, well. Scares is as good a word as any…" she admitted. "I guess, in the end, I just want to… I just want you to… not to give up on me just yet."
Arnold just looked at her. Those weren't words he had expected to hear from her nor were they what he had dreamed of her saying. In a perfect world she would have thrown her arms around him, told him she loved him and everything would turn out ok. But this was reality and the girl he was in love with had trust issues and that was even a part of her he liked. He liked being the closest to her, to be the person she would turn to, even if that didn't necessarily mean she was in love with him. She admitted she didn't know how she felt, but she also told him not to give up on her… so he was going to trust her. She was trusting him with her feelings so he would trust her with his.
Arnold moved his hand up to Helga's cheek and she finally looked in his eyes. She looked so uncharacteristically vulnerable right then; he liked the strong Helga, but he also liked the Helga who was willing to let him see her weaker side. He was sure that was a rare treat only the people closest to her was given. He moved towards her slowly and let his lips peck hers. She sighed into the kiss and pressed a little more against him. They pulled away, eyeing each other for a moment before the blonde clashed her lips against his urgently.
They landed almost instantly on the bed with Helga fully enveloping Arnold's hips with her thighs. He could feel her move against him, hear her moan, taste her tongue around his own; it still made his heart speed up no matter how many times they did and this time, it was different. He felt emotionally closer to her than ever and he just wanted her as physically close to him as possible. Before he knew it, his hands had traveled under her t-shirt; his fingers tickling her sides until she shivered from his touch.
Helga leaned away so she could look at him. She had an oddly sensual look in her eyes and it made his hands freeze on her skin. There was something in the air, something that told him this wouldn't end with a kiss. She did kiss him once more though before moving down his jaw and kissing his Adam's apple and licking his throat. He tightened his hold on her hips, wanting her to stay close to him. He felt her hands roll down his chest and eventually landing on his waist. He jolted at the intimate touch and his breath got heavy when her hand cupped him.
Oh, God. Arnold thought nervously and his eyes, which were already closed, shut even tighter. To say he was anxious would be an understatement. He felt so self-conscious he didn't even notice Helga had stopped her movement. She was looking down at him, his face contorted with tension. It was almost cute, but she held back her snicker. She poked him gently on his shoulder and his eyes sprung open.
She chortled for a mere second before putting her hand on his cheek in a soothing manner. "Hey… want to play a game?" she asked gently.
He blinked a couple of times, wondering if he had heard her right. "A… game…?" he repeated in something akin to disbelief, but he was too surprised to show his shock. Her hand was still on his lower abdomen, but it had stilled. She simply nodded at his question before grabbing him and turning them around so she was lying underneath him. In the process, she had closed her eyes and was showing a content smile.
"Let's see…" the girl muttered and moved her hand slowly up towards him. The boy stayed still, watching her hand curiously as it moved towards his ear. She fondled it for a moment before smiling again. "An ear…"
Arnold quirked an eyebrow at Helga's statement while she moved her hand over his temple and touched the short hairs over his eye. She announced it was his eyebrow before moving down his nose, stating that as well and then down to his lips. He wasn't sure what she was doing at all, but without noticing it, his heart slowed down to a steadier pace.
Her middle finger touched behind his ear. "You know what this muscle is called?"
"The ear?" he questioned, which she snickered at.
"No… I mean from here…" she whispered and moved her finger gently down from the back of his ear to the middle of his collarbone. "… to here."
"Uh…" he mumbled and gulped. "N-No."
"Sternocleidomastoid… it's one of the muscles with the longest name even though it's so short."
"Didn't… Didn't know you knew anatomy…"
Helga shrugged. "Olga taught me some things. I guess they stuck." She admitted before moving her hand to his t-shirt and frowned. "Hmm… fabric. Can't really figure out what muscle is beneath it like this."
Arnold knew what Helga was doing at this point; she was trying to make the situation less tense by making it into an innocent game. It was working so he decided to play along. He sat up and removed his t-shirt before putting his hands back on the mattress.
"How… How about now?" Arnold asked softly.
Helga's hands went to his chest instantly and she smiled. "Yes… pectorals… or Pectoralis Major if you want the anatomically specific name…" she said and moved her hands to the middle of his sides. "Serratus Anterior…" she mumbled and moved her hands down to his hips. "External Oblique." She stated before moving her hands to the middle of his abdomen.
Arnold's breath was getting heavier and the anxiety was soon replaced with lust. Helga had her eyes dutifully closed, but her voice was getting more and more erotic with every word she spoke. Even without seeing him, she could feel his reaction to her every touch. She was touching him lightly, almost ghostly, and it sent a trail of goose bumps over his entire skin.
"Rectus Abdominis…" the girl mumbled and moved her palms slowly downwards, her nails digging into his skin. "… and it doesn't end till…" she continued and stopped just above his waistline, causing him to jerk against her hands desperately. "… here."
"Oh, God, Helga. Please…" Arnold panted pleadingly.
"Too much?" she questioned, but he knew she was smirking cockily without him even looking.
"No… too little… Please, you've… proven your point. I'm calm now." He begged.
"I don't know… you still sound nervous." Helga teased, biting her lower lip flirtatiously. He groaned in pain. After feeling her kisses and her touches and hearing her words, he had reached his limit and his legs were even shaking. "Maybe if you kiss me, you might convince - - "
Helga didn't get to finish her unnecessarily mocking suggestion before Arnold was already kissing her. She could have requested basically anything at that point and he would have done it; as long as it meant she would finally give him what he needed so much from her. He felt her move her left leg under him and he moved his own leg so she had enough space to put it over his waist. He loved that feeling of her pushing him against her and today, it just felt all the better.
The soft clinking of his belt being unbuckled filled Arnold's ears along with the sweet sound of Helga's moans. He moved his hand under her neck to ankle her head better so he could gain access to her throat. He could feel her gulp against his lips and she kissed the top of his head before her hand went inside his pants. He held back what he predicted would have been a loud groan. He bit down on her shoulder to hold it in as she gently started stroking him.
She shivered when he moaned hoarsely into her ear. She tightened her grip with both her hand on her leg and started to rub up against him with her hips for effect. She wouldn't admit it, but she hadn't done this before. Without the experience though, she had a feeling she was doing something right because his hips were starting to move erratically against her body. She could feel him twitch in her hand and she almost felt like asking him if he was feeling good just for the joke; the answer was pretty obvious without him vocalizing it.
Arnold did vocalize it though in a small, and panting voice. It sounded more like a warning than a statement so Helga quickly put her mouth against his. She shrouded his lips with hers to help him keep quiet and she picked up her speed. Within few seconds she felt something warm shoot up her wrist and arm and she would probably have felt it on her stomach if her t-shirt wasn't covering it.
Huh. Warmer than I thought… Helga thought and slowly let go of Arnold's lips, noticing how swollen she had made them. She snickered. "Sorry about… your lips…"
He was breathing heavily, his eyes still clouded in the afterglow of his orgasm. "Uh… right back at you." He mumbled.
She looked at him in surprise before moving her free hand up to her lips. "Criminy… I think you drew blood." She muttered, moved her lips inside her mouth and licked the blood away. She snickered in shock. "Jesus, remind me not to let you kiss me when we do this the next time; if we get scars from this, people might start wondering."
Next time… Arnold thought and sighed before letting his head fall to her shoulder. He couldn't handle thinking about a possible next time; he was already so exhausted from just a few minutes. "What are we… What are we going to do with… that?"
"That? Oh, that. Um… I didn't think that through."
"Me neither…"
"Well, you had an eligible excuse." Helga teased before pushing him gently at his chest. He moved upwards and looked between them, blushing when he recognized the stuff on their stomachs and in her hand. "Uh… mind lending me a shirt or… actually some pants too."
"S-Sure." Arnold answered and stood up, quickly zipping his pants as he walked towards his closet. "You can, uh… u-use my other shirt to, um - - "
"Yeah, I get it." Helga interrupted, saving him the humiliation of saying it aloud. She grabbed the t-shirt and quickly wiped her hand on it before cleaning her stomach and thigh as well. This part of it isn't exactly sexy… Next time I should think ahead… or maybe I should take it a step further. That's probably less messy. She thought and had to hold back a snicker at the thought. She was looking forward to next time already.
When Helga turned to look at Arnold he was already wearing a different shirt. He was looking around in his closet, probably trying to find something suitable for her. It was sweet he cared so much. She quickly put the t-shirt down, making sure to fold it in a way so it wouldn't mess the bed up before she walked towards him. She put her arms over his neck and kissed his cheek.
"I'm not picky with clothing, Arnold… Honestly, I think I'm clean enough to get back to my own room and just change into my pajamas. We'll have to throw our dirty clothes in the laundry though without our parents seeing why they need cleaning to begin with." Helga told Arnold and he nodded meekly. "What's gotten you clammed up?" she asked before licking him behind his ear.
He moaned for a second and grabbed her hand on his shoulder. "I'm just… not sure what to say after we did that…" he admitted and turned to look at her properly.
She hummed thoughtfully. "How about: That was swell, darling. Mind doing that again sometime?" she suggested teasingly.
Her words just made him blush harder, but he figured that was what she wanted. "Then… th-that…" he whispered.
"Aww, you're not gonna say it?" she teased, but obviously wasn't expecting him to. She grabbed him by the hand and walked towards the bed. She quickly grabbed the t-shirt in her other hand and walked out of his room after unlocking it. He followed her obediently into her room, wondering what she was thinking. "Hold on a sec."
Helga let go of Arnold's hand, giving him the t-shirt before she went to her closet. She grabbed the hem of her t-shirt and pulled it over her head without warning. He instinctively looked away, but his eyes had an instinct of their own. He watched her throwing the t-shirt down on the floor, her pants soon following them. She grabbed a much bigger t-shirt, one of those she usually slept in and pulled it over her head.
After grabbing her clothes, she walked back to him. "Wanna follow me to the laundry room?" she asked. He nodded with a smile, happy she had already relieved him or else he might have been faced with another boy problem after the small show she just gave him.
They walked out of her room and headed down the stairs when Arnold felt the urge to do something. "Helga." He said gently. Once she had stopped at a step, she turned to look at him and he stopped as well. He looked at her for a bit before leaning down and kissing her sweetly on her lips. She didn't respond, but he didn't give her the time to either before he had already leaned back up.
She blinked a couple of times before snorting. "You deliberately stopped at a step above me." She concluded and he looked away in embarrassment.
"You couldn't have let me have that one?" he asked, but she simply shook her head as she grinned at him. He smiled back at her; he was just so happy to have gotten this far with her. It was more than he could have ever hoped for; their situation considered. It was far from over though, this was just a milestone on the path of however this would end. He knew it wasn't going to be easy, it would perhaps even get much harder now that he had confessed. But it was hopefully a step in a direction he liked. And maybe, just maybe… they could end up on the same step.
Author's 2nd note: I know, I know; cheesy ending line is cheesy, but what you gotta do? xD I would like to say I'm sorry for this one taking particularly long to get written – Uh, basically those of you who have read my former work may know that I'm having some health problems with my head. I'm vasovagal, which bluntly stated means I have a tendency to faint and I also have chronic headaches and sometimes they get so bad, I don't come to school for a week. So, yeah, please keep that in mind even if some of you are very eager to read the next chapter.
I'm saying this because while I love being told people are eager to read the next chapter and people love my stories it can also get quite stressful when I constantly receive reviews saying: "Please update soon". I always update whenever the next chapter is ready, I don't have them lying around and am purposely waiting just to make you guys more excited or something. I'm not Telltale games xD (Sorry for the shot, Telltale games, but I'm still miffed about them changing the release date for the second episode of Tales from the borderlands – ha-ha) Anyways! Hopefully I'll feel better son and the next chapter won't take this long to write Cx