Masks

by DarlingSpade

So this is my first PowerPuff girls story, it is mainly Butchercup, aka Buttercup and Butch, but all couples like the reds and blues are included. I'm not going to spoil the basics of the story, but there will be drama, and there will be suspense, and there will be feels, so enjoy. It's a One-Shot, I had planned on continuing it but decided I like where I left it.

Masks Ch.1. Acceptance

The sound of my alarm clock woke me to the sounds of the everyday music my annoying sisters love. I rolled over and hit it, not realizing how hard I did. Sadly my alarm clock shattered along with the cheap desk supporting it.

I sat up in bed and threw my covers to the side sliding my feet to the edge of the bed then got up and went over into my bathroom. I stared at myself in the mirror and smiled slightly looking at my classic bedhead. But it was pretty easy to fix, I have short black hair that doesn't even touch my shoulders, and it spikes out in curls at the end like an upside down umbrella, but it's not a girly type of curly, it's a rigid kind of curly that I like. Then I have short bangs that I part to the left mainly, but not in the stupid way that makes it able to cover only one eye, the natural way that looks almost normal.

I quickly ran through the bedhead with my green brush and glanced at the unopened, unused green makeup kit that my sister Bubbles had gotten me over a year ago. She'd gotten it for me after we became sophomores, it's the first day of our new year of high school, we're juniors now, and I'm seventeen, but I'm still not going to use the thing.

Blossom is probably up already, she always gets up early to clean anything that needs it, and read and scold me if i'm ever a minute late downstairs for breakfast. She doesn't even make breakfast though, Bubbles does. Blossom couldn't cook to save her life. Even if we all took culinary years back, Bubbles succeeded the most out of all of us, I was decent, but Blossom was pretty terrible. She did everything right, but she was just terrible, I don't even know how it was possible. Luckily it wasn't a class we were graded on.

In case you couldn't tell by my sisters names, my name's Buttercup Utonium. Yep you guessed it, the toughest fighter of the PowerPuff Girls. Then there's my sister Blossom, the brainiest of us all-and still the bossy leader-but she means well. Then cheery Bubbles, obsessed with clothes and makeup ever since middle school when she first discovered it.

I made my way over to my closet and pulled out black cargo pants that reached halfway down my calves, a plain green tank top, and my black leather jacket along with black combat boots. I pulled everything on and grabbed my green backpack and left the room heading downstairs.

I walked down into the living room to see Blossom on the couch reading a book. She was wearing a pink skirt that probably reached her knees almost, she loved showing off her legs as since it was 'fashionable' but she was also conservative to an extent. Along with a lighter pink blouse, a dark pink cardigan and plain pink converse. Her hairstyle really hadn't changed-same as mine- but it was much longer now and reached her knees, but It was still high up in a ponytail with her signature bow.

"Look's like you're up without me having to wake you." Blossom looked up from her book and over to me.

"Look's like you've got some stuff on your face, especially on the eyes, better wash it off." I retorted.

Blossom rolled her eyes at me sitting up while putting her book down. "It's called makeup Buttercup, for Puff's sake we're in high school, all the girls wear it but you."

"That's because it's pointless, what's the point in wearing it anyway?"

"It happens to make your natural physical beauty pop out and show more."

"Yet underneath you're still a bossy know-it-all."

Blossom's face turned crimson as she fumed, but she knew it was no use to make a comeback or keep the argument going, we both knew to end a quarrel when someone turned red from anger, or else things would just fall apart.

"Breakfast is ready Blossom! Go wake Buttercup!" Bubbles called from the kitchen.

"I'm already up!" I called back walking into the kitchen with Blossom.

"Oh, normally you sleep in the first day of school." Bubbles served us each pancakes.

"She normally sleeps in every day of the year." Blossom calmly took a bite of her pancake.

I shot a glare at her but it was all sisterly teasing, Blossom and I have always gotten along the worst even when we were kids. But as we got older and matured more we realized how stupid it really was.

Bubbles hummed happily as we all silently ate our food. It tasted delicious for being simple pancakes. Although I knew how Blossom could turn simple pancakes into something sour with ease.

"So what are your guy's schedules this year?" Blossom asked.

"I've got Culinary, Art, Science, English, History, and then Calligraphy." Bubbles chimed. She ended up being the most artistic of us all, but she did well sticking with cooking.

"Then I've got History, Wood working, Science, English, Engineering, and P.E." I said plainly. I preferred the more hands-on types of classes, they were more entertaining.

"Of course you'd stick with P.E for three years, you were able to stop after Sophomore year." Bubbles commented.

I smiled at the thought, I stuck with P.E because we had different stations you could go to, and what I did often was train in the weight room, wrestle, dodge ball, or run on the track.

"Well I got "AP History, Student Government, Science, English, Yearbook and Calculus." Blossom smiled.

"Why would you stay in math, it's so dull." I looked over at her.

"It's not dull! It's fun!" She smiled and then bit her lip. "Okay, it's not fun, but it's easy for me and I understand it really well."

"But it does look like we've all got Science and English together this year." Bubbles smiled.

"What do we have the same teachers too?" I asked.

We all pulled out out schedules and each scanned them over. "Looks like it." Blossom said. We all tucked them back into our backpacks.

"We better start off, I want to be early some first day of school." Bubbles smiled picking up her blue backpack and putting her dishes in the sink.

Blossom and I followed suit and soon after Bubbles stopped me. "Buttercup, what are you wearing?" She frowned.

I looked down at myself then looked at her. She was wearing a blue dress with small white flowers on the collar along with a white cardigan over it. Then she was wearing blue wedges. Her hair was in her classic pigtails that reached her shoulders.

"Clothes that I'm comfortable in." I looked at her.

She pouted crossing her arms over her chest. "Why don't you wear something that shows off your body more? You're wearing a tank top that does, so why wear that jacket and cover it up?"

"I don't need people staring at my body, besides what's the matter with it? It's comfortable and this is my favorite jacket." I crossed my arms back at her.

Bubbles rolled her eyes. "Alright then, but you need to show those boys what their missing, you still haven't gotten a boyfriend even though you're a junior."

"I'm not interested in guys like that Bubbles, I've told both you and Blossom this."

"What about that one guy back in freshman year?"

"That was different, besides, he was a Sophomore, and it was for like a day."

"It was still a crush." Bubbles stared.

"Can we just get to school?"

Bubbles nodded slightly and we all turned heading out of the door. We all basically kept the same personalities since we were kids. Blossom was still smart and bossy, but she was also kind too. Then I'm still tough and curt, but I'm not as rude as I used to be. Then Bubbles is still kinda innocent, she's still a virgin and all, but she does know how to get the guys pretty well, and she definitely is a more trained kisser than both Blossom and I combined. But she doesn't take things sitting down like she used to, she sticks up for herself more, but if someone tries bullying her she'll still start crying if she's not in a bad mood.

We all made sure our backpacks were secure before shooting into the sky towards the school. It was only about a five minute flight there, and a 20 minute walk. We landed about a block away from the school because we got annoyed of people and especially new freshman asking us about our powers.

We made our way to the front entrance of the school and noticed a group of boys obviously staring at this girl sitting over at a table with her friends. She had long curly red hair that went down to her waist and small freckles on her cheeks and shoulders. She was wearing a gold strapless tube top with a plain black pencil skirt along with gold heels. Unless you couldn't tell, this girl's name was Princess Morbucks.

"The freshmen are drooling all over her like always I see." I commented.

"This happens every year." Bubbles sighed.

"She's not as bratty as she used to be though, but still a snob." Blossom frowned.

The three of us made our way into the school and over to our lockers. They happened to be right next to each other, and it was slightly embarrassing that they matched our colours too, but the school was so excited about having the PowerPuff girls attend here, and I guess they supposed they'd show how happy they were in some way.

The bell rang and we all headed to our first class and when the slow time passed I finally made it to a class that I was excited about. The teacher told us where we'd be sitting and that our partner would be the same all year unless any complications came up. I waited at my station waiting for my partner when a black haired guy sat next to me.

I looked over at him and felt like I knew him from somewhere, although I had no idea where. Maybe he was one of the many civilians that we'd saved throughout the years. He had spiked black hair slightly similar to mine, dark green eyes, he wore a black leather jacket, a dark green shirt, black jeans, and black boots.

After the next bell rang signaling the start of class I looked back at my partner, where did I know him from? It was starting to bug me. The boy glanced over at me and I shifted my eyes to a spot just past his head and then down at the paper in front of me.

Next the teacher started telling us the people in the class by going over to their tables and saying both person's names that sat there. When he reached up I was slightly anxious wondering if the boy's name would ring any bells.

"Buttercup Utonium and Butch Jojo." The teacher announced.

Both Butch and I turned on each other in an instant glaring and shocked.

"Buttercup!?" Butch exclaimed.

"Butch!?" I stared at him.

"I can't believe it, I thought you looked familiar. I recognized you from somewhere." He crossed his arms. "I guess I know where."

"I can say the same thing to you." I looked at him. "What are you doing here, didn't you and your brothers leave town years ago?"

"Yeah we did, but we moved back after Mojo died. He got killed in one of his crazy experiments."

"I'm sorry to hear about that, that must of been hard on you guys."

"Please, it was hard for a bit, but he was kinda annoying, we were prepared anyways, he was always doing stupid stuff."

"Good to know you guys aren't devastated then. When professor died last year it was pretty hard on us."

"Well I bet, he was actually a good father as far as I can tell. And of course you're a girl now, I'd assume that your emotions were easily played with." He smirked.

"Excuse me? I've actually always been a girl for your information."

"Yeah, but as a kid you sure acted a lot more boyish, although judging by your appearance, nothing's changed much, I guess you just finally got a figure."

I rolled my eyes at him. "We happened to be seven last time we fought, of course I wouldn't have a figure back then."

He simply shrugged. "Yeah, back then." He sighed looking out getting lost in thought for a second. Then he turned back to me. "Does it have to be as stupid as it was back then? I mean I still plan to tease you and all, and of course get into a fist fight after I successfully piss you off, but I mean, the stupid low blows and childish stuff is going away right? I mean, I don't like you, but I don't really hate you after all these years of not knowing you."

I was slightly surprised at what he said and taken aback. "Yeah, that was kinda stupid wasn't it? Man we acted like kids."

"We were kids." He smirked.

I smiled nodding. How was it possible for me to have hated Butch back then? He's still an infuriating git, but not bad enough to hate. I mean I even don't like Princess, but I don't know anyone that I can use the word 'hate' towards anymore.

When English came around the girls and I had already had class together, but this time assigned to sit together at a table so we could talk, unlike in Science.

"You guys will never believe who I met in my Wood shop class." I started sitting down.

"Really? I met someone we haven't seen in ages in Student Gov." Blossom looked at me.

"Well I can't believe who I met in Art." Bubbles looked at us.

"Butch."

"Brick."

"Boomer."

We each said one of the RowdyRuff's boys at the same time and gasped.

"I can't believe they're here! Brick's Vice President with me in Student Council-I didn't even think he would have been int something like that. At first he just looked familiar, but then we each had to say our names and I realized why I recognized him." Blossom looked at us.

"That's the same thing with me! Boomer and I are partners in Art and at first I just thought he was this cute guy, but I felt like I knew him somehow. When they called roll and I heard his name I was so shocked." Bubbles leaned over the table.

"And Butch is in my Wood Shop, we're partners and the teacher announced our names for the class and we were both surprised. I knew his face from somewhere." I leaned back in my chair.

"Look, they're right there!" Blossom pointed with her finger to the table next to us where a boy with a red baseball cap, red shirt and black jeans along with long red hair tied back into a ponytail that reached his lower back sat down along with Butch and a blonde haired boy with a blue and black striped shirt along with dark navy blue jeans.

"I can't believe they're here!" Bubbles looked over at them, mainly at Boomer with a slight shine in her eyes.

"Um, did either of you talk to your counterpart?" Blossom blushed guiltily shifting in her seat.

"Um, I talked to Boomer, he's a lot sweeter than I remember from when we were kids, he even told me he and his brothers have given up evil." Bubbles blushed ashamed.

"Judging by your reactions we all talked to our counterparts." I leaned forward on the table. "And we all did it, so don't feel ashamed about it."

"Brick mentioned the same thing, he's still cocky, but he's not as mean as he used to be unlike when he was younger." Blossom bit her lip glancing over at the table.

"And Butch seemed different too, less hyper and rude unlike when he was younger." I commented.

"You know, it may be hard to believe ... but maybe they've changed." Bubbles looked at her hands nervously.

"I wouldn't take it that far." I said. "This could be a scheme or something, what if they want us to believe they've changed."

"Buttercup's right Bubbles. Although," Blossom turned to me. "They didn't even recognize us right? We didn't even know it was them before we heard their names."

I frowned and looked at her. "You're right." I looked over at the boys table again and Butch looked up and smirked, I frowned turning back to them. "Well what are we supposed to do?"

Bubbles looked back over at the boys. "Maybe we should ask them over." She turned to us. "Catch up you know?"

Blossom and I looked at each other skeptically, me more than her. I shifted as the bell rang. We all stood up grabbing our bags making our way towards the door. We all stopped in place meeting our counterparts at the door at the same time. But they each took a step back and Brick motioned for us to pass.

"Thanks." Blossom murmured as the three of use went past them going through the door. She sighed looking at the two of us and then around us to make sure no one was in close proximity. "Look, maybe we should give them a chance." Blossom looked at me.

"Are you serious?" I looked at her in disbelief. "I don't trust them."

"And we don't trust them yet either, but I'm not sure if we have the right to hate them anymore, they seem more grown up and mature now. Not like when they were younger, besides we were kids."

"It doesn't matter. I don't think we should let our guards down."

"So we won't, we'll just try to get to know them alright?" Blossom turned to Bubbles. "Bubbles, why don't you invite Boomer and his brothers."

Bubble's face flushed. "What?" She flustered. "What, why do I have to do it?" She asked.

"Because you're the one who suggested it." I looked at her. "Besides, you kept staring at Boomer like crazy during English. It should be easy for you." I crossed my arms.

Bubble's face went crimson. "I was not staring!" She flustered. "I was just looking at the poster by them that's all!" She defended.

"Sure you were Bubbles." I rolled my eyes.

"It doesn't matter." Blossom interrupted. "Bubble's you're the most easy going of all of us, so naturally you should be the one to do it. Although Buttercup has a point, you're the one who suggested it."

Bubbles pouted turning her head away in frustration.

"So I'll see you two after school then alright? We'll meet at home." Blossom looked at each of us.

Bubbles and I nodded as we separated each heading towards our next class.

After P.E. Butch met up with me exiting the gym. I started my way walking down the school grounds towards the street where I would walk across to take off towards home.

"Hey Butters wait up." Butch ran down meeting me where I walked.

"Don't call me that." I looked up at him still walking.

"What I thought we're at a nickname basis now. Aren't we friends?" Butch fake pouted.

I turned to look at him my mouth in a flat line. He stopped the act and put his hands in his pockets. I turned back continuing to walk.

"So do you walk to school or back or something? Don't you still have your powers or did those go away along with the bratty attitude?" He looked down at me no longer trying to piss me off completely, but he was still annoying me.

"No, but my sisters and I always walk about a block away from school before we take off."

"How come?"

"We realized Freshman year that people aren't used to superpowers. We got asked about them constantly our first year, so we decided it would be better to fly and land a block away to attract less attention."

"Smart, yeah Brick thought about that too. Who knew he was so brainy under that idiotic demeanor. So he saved up back when we lived with Mojo and bought a black Mustang. It's nice but not as relaxing as flying."

I had laughed at the comment of his brother and Butch looked at me strangely, I shrugged it off. "Yeah we don't really have that luxury." We crossed the street and I turned off into an empty alley. I turned to Butch. "Well thanks for walking me here I guess. But you need to head home." I turned to him. "Or is Brick not going to kick your ass when you're late for him to pick you up? I assume he does that."

Butch's eyes widened slightly and he nodded. "Yeah, I'd better go." He turned. "See ya Butters." He ran out of the alley and straight across the street back towards the school. I turned back and shot up into the air, leaving my signature green streak behind me as I flew towards our house.

I landed in the front lawn and made my way to the front door not needing to unlock it because Blossom was always the first home. I walked inside and saw Blossom on the couch in the same thing she wore to school except without her cardigan and shoes. She was relaxed on the sofa by the fire with her book open.

"Is Bubbles home yet?" I asked her starting towards the stairs.

"No, but I think she just landed outside." Blossom glanced out the window of the front lawn.

I was at the first step of the stairs when Bubbles entered cheery as ever. She smiled and I nodded to her. "So the boys will be over in ten minutes." She said happily.

"Ten minutes!" Blossom threw down her book and then quickly went back placing her bookmark inside then gently sitting it down on the coffee table. "This house isn't prepped yet for guests!" She exclaimed.

"Blossom you cleaned it this morning." I rolled my eyes walking up the stairs.

"So! It doesn't matter!" She turned on Bubbles. "Bubbles hurry and set out food and stuff!" She turned to me, I had my hand on my bedroom doorknob. "Buttercup-" I interrupted her.

"I'm going down in the basement to work out, I'll be done before they get here." I said simply.

Blossom's face turned crimson, mainly because she didn't really have anything for me to do in the first place.

I opened my bedroom door and took off my clothes and changed into black shorts and left me in my black sports bra on top. I grabbed my green towel from my dresser hanging it over my shoulders and grabbed my black water bottle then left my room heading downstairs.

"Buttercup, that's hardly appropriate with...boys... coming over." Blossom looked at me.

"Girls wear worse at the school, you've seen Princess." I retorted.

"Yeah but still, most girls don't have a figure like you do."

"You mean the fact that I have abs?" My eyes narrowed at her.

"Yes, I mean Bubbles and I have flat stomachs but you're so much more toned, boys aren't into that." Blossom was blushing knowing what she was saying was slightly offensive.

"Look I'm not planning on dating any of them so why does it matter. Besides they won't be seeing me like this anyways." I made my way past her and into the basement.

Turning off the light and shutting the door behind me I walked down a small flight of stairs towards my equipment, but before going towards them I turned on my stereo putting it on a very high volume, it played various rock songs that I liked, and a lot of Fall Out Boy. I had my weight bench set up but I wasn't supposed to use it without a spotter, and with Blossom and Bubbles getting ready upstairs I didn't have that. I made my way over onto the matted floor and picked up a barbell with 300lbs on it, being a superhero had it's perks, we could lift more than ten time's our weight, but they don't make special weights for superheros.

I tossed my towel down and started doing sets of 20 with the weight, it wasn't til after a hundred that I started breaking a slight sweat. I dropped the weight and then moved aside towards my treadmill, I started it up and started running, the treadmill speed increasing as I found a fast but comfortable pace.

I heard the door behind me open and closed and assumed it was one of my sisters coming to tell me the boys were here. So I slowly made my pace to a stop and turned off my machine then next picking up my towel from the floor and last turning off my music. I turned and saw Butch leaning against the wall staring at my face directly, his eyes locked on mine.

"What are you doing in here?" I frowned climbing the stairs to meet him.

"Well the boys and I got here and Boomer was wondering where you were, Blossom and Bubbles were all ready with food and everything, but you weren't there so in his naturally curious nature he asked. Then Blossom said you were down in the basement and she was going to get you, but I volunteered to do it. Man did she protest me coming down here, I guess I know why."

"Yeah, I happen to be half naked." I growled at him turning off the light and pushing past him, draping the towel over my shoulders. I made my way into the kitchen and Bubbles spit out what she was drinking.

"Buttercup!" She exclaimed. The boys are there you can't go out-" I just kept walking and into the living room heading towards the stairs.

"Oh no you don't." I heard Blossom's voice in her commanding tone and looked back to see her stopping Butch from following me into my room.

I rolled my eyes going inside my room and putting on black sweats and a green tank top then heading back downstairs where everyone was waiting. The boys were sitting across from my sisters and my sisters were opposite them. I went over and sat down by Blossom crossing my arms.

Bubbles glared at me with her arms crossed but then smiled as Boomer asked her a question. I turned to them, besides Boomer's question is was mostly just an awkward silence.

"So how long have you guys been back in Townsville?" I asked breaking the ice.

"Ever since summer last year." Brick spoke up. Butch and Boomer nodded.

"Then have you girls just stayed here your whole lives?" Boomer looked at Bubbles.

She nodded. "Yeah, we just kinda liked it here, and it was really are only home after the Professor died.

"What happened to him?" Brick asked.

My eyes widened and I glanced at Blossom and she looked at Bubbles. Bubbles bit her lip and stood up leaving the room.

I sighed and watched Blossom get up and go after her.

"Shit, sorry...I didn't realize." Brick watched her go.

"Yeah, it's fine." I looked at him. "Bubbles took it the hardest. She doesn't like to talk about it."

"But, what did happen to him..." Butch looked at me.

I stared at him meeting his eyes and looked them over for some angle he might have been trying to play. But then sat back looking at the three of them. "It was Him." I said simply and they each winced. "We didn't get there in time." I looked at them. "It's not something we normally bring up, so please don't mention anything about it once Bubbles gets back in."

The boys just nodded. I turned back to see Blossom walking in with a now smiling Bubbles and they came to take a seat next to me.

"Sorry about my brother Bubbles, he can be a bit thick." Boomer looked at Bubbles.

Brick elbowed Boomer's side but Bubbles laughed at the joke. Even I could tell he was just trying to lift her spirits.

"So what made you guys 'quit' evil?" I asked crossing my arms while Blossom shot a glare at me.

"Look we could tell from you Buttercup that at least you don't trust us. And we're not surprised." Butch leaned back against the couch.

"And we didn't expect you to either." Brick added.

"I mean we were evil for the longest time-at least that's all you've known us as." Butch explained.

"But we all kinda got bored of it after we moved. Mojo ended up taking over our new city, and it was like that for awhile before we tossed him out." Brick looked at us.

"Wait you tossed him out? What do you mean?" I asked.

"Calm down and listen to the story Butters." Butch looked at me.

I rolled my eyes while Brick continued. "Well to answer your question it was just boring. When Mojo and us attacked the city they didn't have anyone to defend it, it was just destruction and we didn't get much fun out of it after it was over. We kinda missed having someone to fight, so it just got boring."

"And then the townspeople weren't happy." Boomer looked at us. "They didn't like being ruled by Mojo because he didn't do anything, they'd need stuff done to help maintain the city and he just didn't care."

"And it's not like we were enjoying the living either, it was just a bigger house." Butch looked at us.

"So we told Mojo that he didn't need to bother being considered in power because he didn't do anything. He even was actually getting bored with no one to stop him from doing anything." Brick leaned back against the couch.

"So after some time convincing him, he agreed to put the old mayor back in place, and Mojo spent a month in jail and we just kinda lived normal." Boomer shifted his feet.

"So you guys gave up evil because?" Blossom looked at Brick.

"It was boring being evil if there were no heroes to do anything about it. And even when we're back here, I don't think we really care about being evil anymore, even with you girls here. There's just no point. We were made to be bad, but that doesn't mean we can't change." Brick looked her in the eyes.

Blossom blushed faintly and moved her eyes from his. I looked over at Bubbles who was just looking at Boomer while he looked at her. I looked at Butch who was staring at me and I shook my head. What's going on here? I thought to myself.

"Girls." Blossom and Bubbles dragged their attention to me. "Can I talk to you in the kitchen? Now." I stood up and quickly walked in with them slowly following me. I turned on them once the door closed behind them. "What are you guys doing out there?" I demanded.

Blossom looked crossly at me. "What are you talking about? All we're doing is talking."

"Yeah Buttercup, what's up?" Bubbles looked at me worriedly.

"I'm talking about the way you guys are looking at them." I turned on Bubbles. "You look at Boomer as if you fancy him or something and the same goes to you Blossom even if it's less obvious." I turned on her as well.

Bubbles face turned crimson and so did Blossom's. They both looked down at there feet not saying anything, but Bubbles seemed more nervous than Blossom did.

"I think I do like Boomer." Bubbles spoke up still looking at her feet. Both Blossom and I turned to her. "And I think he might like me too." She looked at me with pleading eyes. "Please don't be mad."

I crossed my arms saying nothing while Blossom spoke up. "I don't think she has the right to be if she was." She looked at me. "I mean they seem good now, and I believe their story, I don't think they're as bad as they used to be."

I shook my head. "I hate to say it but I agree with you."

Blossom's face lightened. "Well, I kinda should admit that I think I like Brick."

"What?" I looked at her. "You too?"

Blossom shifted slightly. "Well they're not bad anymore. And com'on, you have to admit, all three of them are pretty decent looking now."

My face flushed. "Besides I think Butch likes you too." Bubbles looked at me.

"What are you talking about? We just met again today." I looked at her flustered.

"Yeah, but I'm pretty sure that Boomer like's me, and it's obvious Brick is interested in Blossom, and they just met us again today as well." Bubbles leaned against the counter.

"Well unlike you two I'm not interested in him like you are with his brothers." I crossed my arms at them straightening up my stance.

"How come you're so flustered about it then, I haven't seen you like this for awhile." Bubbles raised her eyebrows.

"You seem to really make it seem like you don't care for him too, normally when you don't like someone you just try to get us to stop talking about it, but you're not doing that." Blossom crossed her arms at me. "Stop lying Buttercup."

I felt my face heat up and I clenched my fists. "Fine." I said upset. "Maybe I do." I looked at them an they seemed surprised even after they thought they knew already. "I don't know." I looked at them. "Feelings and I don't really get along. You know that." I looked at the both of them.

Bubbles made her way over to me. "That's because you block them out. You don't want to be hurt again." She looked at me meeting my eyes. "It's hard Buttercup, but you need to learn to accept these things."

I said nothing crossing my arms and walking back out into the living room with Bubbles and Blossom following me. I turned to the boys who all were looking at us as soon as we entered the room again.

"Hey Brick." I looked at Brick and he met my eyes. "Why don't you go with Blossom to her room, she's been writing a book, I'm sure she'd love her counterpart's opinion." I turned to Blossom who's face was flushed.

Brick stood and shrugged. "Sure thing." He walked over to Blossom and she looked up at him then to me.

"Yeah." She said quietly leading Brick upstairs and out of sight to her room, but you could tell she didn't close the door.

"And Boomer." I turned to Boomer and he snapped to look at me since he had been staring at Bubbles. "Why don't you go work on Bubble's new recipe with her, she's not satisfied with it but maybe you can convince her how good it is."

Bubbles looked at me scarlet and looked at Boomer who smiled going over to her. "I'm sure anything she made would be great." He said looking at her. Bubbles turned to look at me flashing me a smile before grabbing Boomer's hands and leading him to the kitchen.

I sighed in relief after they all left and leaned against the couch before I realized Butch was still sitting there just watching me. I ran a hand through my hair.

"What was that all about Butters?" Butch looked at me from where he sat.

"If you tell your brothers I said this my sisters will kill me. But they're totally falling for them. They just needed a push." I looked at him.

He smirked at me and I felt a tinge in my stomach but ignored it. "Well aren't you a little matchmaker?" He said sarcastically.

"No I'm a little weight lifter, but I don't have a spotter." I sighed.

"What worried you can't lift it and it'll fall?" He joked.

"No." I snapped. "It's just last time I did it without a spotter I never heard the end of it when Blossom walked in on me. She ran over and stared at me while I did it and when I finished she made me promise to always have one."

"Your sisters really care about you don't they?" He asked.

"Well yeah, they're my sisters. Your brothers care about you too." I looked at him. "I remember when we were kids and you got hurt, Brick panicked, the great and crazy hyper Butch was hurt and unconscious, it's like the world stopped." I looked at him. "Then me and my sisters fled when the building started falling down."

"But you came back for us." Butch looked up at me. "Boomer was injured as well and Brick couldn't handle us both given the fact he was hurt too." He met my eyes. "The three of you came back to save us even though we were the cause of the destruction."

I didn't break his gaze. "We're heroes, we weren't going to just let you die." I said simply.

Butch sighed. "Yeah, typical PowerPuff Girls." He laughed looking down at his knees then stood up. "Com'on then, I'll spot you." He looked over at me.

"Excuse me?" I looked at him.

"I'll spot you, you never really finished your work out down there." He started his way towards the basement door. "And if you really need to work out in nothing but your bra, I won't look." He turned back. "Coming Butters?"

I narrowed my eyes at him following him into the basement turning on the lights. Butch walked down the stairs and over to the weight bench seeing the weights I had already on the barbell.

"Three hundred? Only?" He looked up at me.

"Yeah, these are made for the normal humans. The higher ones are kept in the big training gyms." I looked over at him throwing my shirt down on the table while grabbing a green towel and heading over to the bench. "But it's still good to work out with, just takes awhile to break a sweat."

"I bet, considering how much I saw you lift as a kid." He went behind the bench.

"Well yeah, so you might be bored for awhile." I looked at him lying down on the bench lifting the barbell up and starting to do reps.

"Why do you work out like this BC?" Butch asked looking down at me.

"To keep in shape." I said simply.

"Yeah but you're a superhero, plus we all have really fast metabolisms, I doubt you need the extra weight loss." He crossed his arms.

"I don't know, I haven't done it forever. I guess I started shortly after the professor died." I continued pushing the bar up and bringing it back down.

"That's probably why then."

"What are you talking about?"

"Weight lifting was your way of coping."

"What are you saying?" I lifted the bar up and he helped me guide it to the stand. I sat up and turned glaring at him.

"Simply that when the professor died you tried to avoid the shock and put all of those emotions into working out and weight lifting."

Now I was getting angry.

"Bull."

"Truth." He crossed his arms walking around going over to me.

"That's not why I work out, I do it because I want to-"

"That's a lie. You did it because you didn't know how to handle your feelings. You had trouble with that when you were younger too, I remember that one time-"

"That was different!" I yelled standing up glaring into his eyes.

"No it wasn't Buttercup! You still don't know how to deal with your emotions." He looked at me frustrated but not angry.

But boy was I angry, and I don't know what set me off. "You can't tell me that! You don't even know me!" I yelled at him.

"Tell me, did you cry?"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"When the professor died. Did you cry? When you talked about him dying in class you were really plain about it. Like it didn't even affect you at all. But I don't think that's the truth. I don't think Bubbles is the only one who's still brittle about it. Whenever you talk about him your voice is always toneless, like you're trying to show no emotion at all."

He looked down at me looking me in the eyes. I was silent. I didn't know what to say. I started feeling something down in my chest hurt, not physically but emotionally. I felt my face growing hot.

"Buttercup. Did you cry?" He asked again.

I shook my head turning away pushing past him. I felt him grab my arm and he turned me back to him. I felt water start to well up in my eyes and I tried to tear my arm away from him. He simply pulled me to him and hugged me. I tried to push away but found my strength fading away as tears started to fall down my face.

He held me tight while I just stood there sobbing. I grabbed onto him for the comfort that I had longed for, the comfort that I had never sought out, the comfort that I had never received.

It seemed like hours dragging by that I just stood there sobbing. The pain that had demanded to be felt after all of this time was finally being felt and released. But after what seemed like forever, the waves that swept through my body of gasping for air had finally slowed into a stop. The tears had finally stopped pouring and I was able to regain some composition.

I pushed away from Butch and he let me out of his grip. I looked down wiping the tears from my face. I walked away from him grabbing my towel and wiping my face.

"Buttercup?"

"What?" I snapped turning on him and felt his lips crash onto mine. His eyes were closed and I pushed him away ignoring the feeling of wanting to kiss him back. "Butch. What was all that?" I looked at him.

"All of what?" He looked at me.

"The hug, and more importantly the kiss."

"To be honest I've been wanting to kiss you before now. Back when you laughed when I was walking you from school."

"Why?" I looked at him.

"You've changed, a lot. I noticed that when I first found out it was you today. Normally when you would have made such a fuss and complained and everything once you found out I was your Wood Shop partner. Or that I was there at all, but you were pretty calm."

"But everything else." I looked at him, his shirt was soaked all down the front.

"As I've heard a wise man say, 'I heard the song of your sadness'." He looked down at me. "I lost someone recently too, and although it didn't affect me as losing the professor affected you, I could still recognize the fact of not wanting to accept it. Boomer had that problem his first week, he was actually the closest to Mojo than Brick and I. And I saw it in you too." He said all of this sincerely. "I just had to find away to get you alone so you could admit it. No one should carry that much on their shoulders. Not even the toughest of the PowerPuff Girls."

I just stared at him before going over and putting my shirt back on and sitting down on my rest bench. "You won't tell them will you?" I asked Butch as he came over sitting next to me on the bench.

"Tell who?" He asked.

"My sisters." I looked at him. "Or anyone for that matter."

"About what? Admitting you have emotions? And that even the toughest fighters cry too?"

"They just don't need to know about this. Any of it." I looked at him.

"Then promise me something." He leaned back looking at me.

"What?" I turned to him.

"That you won't go hiding your emotions anymore, it's not healthy."

"Fine." I frowned.

"Promise?" He stared at me with all seriousness.

"Yes, promise." I rolled my eyes.

"Good." He smiled turning and looking up. "Tell me another thing now."

"What?" I faced him.

He faced back looking at me. "Did you like my kiss, and do you want a repeat?" He smirked facing me his face inches from mine.

I refused to break his gaze and felt my face heat slightly. I said nothing.

"You said you wouldn't hide your emotions anymore Buttercup. You promised." He smiled.

"Yeah but you said nothing about my opinions, because that's what you're asking me-"

He leaned in silencing me. I froze at first, feeling his warm lips on mine was different. But soon I closed my eyes and accepted what my heart was telling me. I felt the warmth from my heart spread through my body, and I understood how I felt towards Butch now, I did like him after all, and I accepted it.