I do not own Powerpuff Girls, but I do have a growing guilty pleasure for BubblesXButch. Oh no!

Inspired by Not Him by simi838. As soon as I read chapter two this idea popped into my head and I couldn't help but write it out!

He held me up while I tried to stand on my own. He was supposed to be heartless and cruel, yet here he was, letting his polar opposite lean against him like we were friends… or lovers. It was an act that left me breathless and confused. BubblesButch

The Mature Thing

Chapter 1: Careless

I closed my eyes against the pricks. Already, I was ready to bawl like a baby. I was a baby. I'm sixteen and still something like being beaten by the bad guys makes me cry.

My body trembled. My sisters, Buttercup and Blossom had already fallen. I didn't know if they were sleeping or… or… I didn't want to bring myself to think of the other options. My legs gave out and I started to fall.

A strong pair of arms wrapped around me, preventing my face from hitting the pavement. I opened my cerulean eyes and all I saw was green. It reminded me of Buttercup, until I noticed the spiky hair.

"Butch." I sobbed.

I buried my face into his shirt. Kindness from the Rowdyruff boys was one thing. Boomer and Brick had a softer side here and there, but Butch? Butch was nothing but heartless and cruel. Time hadn't changed that. This is why I didn't want to see his face as I bawled my eyes out.

"Hey, man! The girls are worse for wear. We better get them back to the Professor."

"Isn't that the guy who made them?"

"Duh, Boomer."

I stifled a small giggle. Their banter was just like me and my sisters. I hope beyond hope they're alright.

I felt the strong arms of Butch shift until he held me like a princess with my legs over one of his arms and my back supported by the other. I clung to his neck, still refusing to face anyone. I sensed him slowly lift off the ground in flight and soon we were on our way home.

How could I explain this to the Professor?

"Are Blossom and Buttercup…?"

"They're breathing." Butch answered my half-asked question. "That's about it."

My heart squeezed at the knowledge that my sisters were in pain. Normally, I'd be angry Butch was so gruff about the way he said it, but I couldn't bring myself to be anything but sad.

It's my fault after all. If I hadn't wanted to play tough like Buttercup or to try to call the shots like Blossom they wouldn't be hurt right now. They had teased me all day about being the 'baby' and not cut out for their tougher roles as heroes and I tried to use the enemy as a way to prove them wrong.

I was the one who was wrong. Terribly, terribly wrong.

"It's… It's my fault!" I stuttered through my sobs. I tasted the tears leaking down my cheeks from my eyes.

"Don't be a baby." Butch scolded. "Whining isn't going to help anyone."

I pushed him away. I remembered now why I hated him so much, there was no sense of kindness within any inch of him. "You don't understand at all, you heartless jerk!" I screamed loudly and blasted away from his knowing eyes and the other boys' shocked faces.

I guess the Professor would have to wait for my explanation. And my sisters would have to wait for my apology.

I lost myself with the wind and the beautiful landscapes that crossed my path. I had no clue where I was going, but wherever that was I'd be alone and I'd be able to mourn my bad decisions without anyone yelling at me for having a conscience.

I wonder what Buttercup ever saw in Butch. We were kids when we had crushes on the boys and hers was the strongest. She followed him everywhere, beat him up constantly, and took it the hardest when he so easily always chose to be a bad guy. As we aged our crushes had faded, but still somewhere deep inside my heart I always expected for Buttercup and Butch to live happily ever after in a unicorn shaped house.

I love unicorns.

I giggled as I imagined the soft mane and long rainbow colored horn. My body breezed by the world as I stared up at the clouds with a goofy smile on my face.

"So this is how you deal with your sisters being injured?" Suddenly all I saw was green again. His arms were crossed over the shirt that matched his emerald eyes and his black pants waved easily as we flew. Butch's eyes were judgmental and cold.

"I wasn't thinking about that! I was thinking about living in a house shaped like unicorns!" I defended myself.

"And here I thought you were the over-sensitive caring one that I didn't understand."

His sarcastic tone brought tears to my eyes again. "I was trying to get my mind off of it…"

"You should be there for your sisters instead of being so selfish."

I stared down his glare. In normal situations I would be too scared to stand up to a bully like him, but I had already bolted once and now I was too busy yelling at him for being such a… A jerk!

"I am not selfish!" I screeched. He winced at my high pitched voice and I took strength in that. "And like you're one to judge with how you like to blow things up and play mean pranks and make girl's cry and you NEVER care what other people think, you only want to cause more damage and pain because it's FUN to you!"

Butch seemed to think my words over, but that didn't stop his cold reply, "You sound like a toddler."

"YOU'RE A TODDLER!"

Darn it Bubbles! I scolded myself even though I could never bring myself to use really bad language (like Buttercup) as I turned to glare down at the peaks of mountains we were heading over. I started to bolt again, the reality becoming too much to me and his unsympathetic tone just encouraged me to seek somewhere else where I could calm myself.

He grabbed my arm. I stumbled in the air before the force of the sudden stop brought me chest to chest with Butch. He glared down at me as I squeaked. I was stupid, so stupid to yell at him! He was going to hurt me now!

"We're not little kids anymore."

Butch let me go. I watched in shock as he slowly backed away before turning to head back to Townsville. After a moment I began to follow his green glow, though I kept a far pace. I wasn't ready for anymore cruel words, though I did want to see my sisters.

I just hope they wanted to see me too.

XXX

I watched as Brick and Boomer shot off from my house. Butch turned effortlessly and joined them to go off and do whatever boys do. I landed on the porch and turned the doorknob like it was going to explode.

I tiptoed through the house until I found the Professor and my sisters upstairs in our bedroom.

"Bubbles!"

He ran up and hugged me and I gladly clutched onto him back. "I'm so sorry Professor, it's all my fault!"

"Hush, hush now Bubbles. It's no one's fault and Blossom and Buttercup will be better after they rest for a bit."

I wiped my puffy eyes. "I think I should go to bed too."

"Okay," The Professor let me go after he patted my head. "Sleep tight; don't let the bed bugs bite."

I smiled at the nightly routine, "Can you leave the nightlight on so I can see?" It was childish, but I couldn't help but think that it could scare away all of the monsters like it had when I was five.

I snuggled into my blue bed in the middle of one of the sides of the room. Blossom had one corner and Buttercup had the other one. I was left in the middle, but it felt so lonely. I wished I could sleep with my sisters like we did when we were younger, so I slipped from my bed and pushed theirs towards mine.

I jumped into bed again, happier now that when I turned my head both of my sisters were within grabbing distance of me.

"I'm sorry." I whispered to them before closing my eyes and trying to sleep.

Before I lost consciousness completely, Butch's green eyes came to my mind and his words "We're not little kids anymore." echoed through me.

I wonder what exactly he meant by that.

Review Please! I hope I got Bubbles voice right… They're sixteen so naturally there will be some changes in character, but I don't want to push things too far out of character.