Brick, Butch, and Boomer were too tense to eat.

The Puffs weren't very hungry, either.

Only Butch and Buttercup gobbled down their food, talking way too loudly for the tense Brick and Boomer's taste.

Boomer was scowling and his hair covered his eyes. His cobalt blue eyes were burning a shade lighter and his hands were trembling.

Then he spoke.

"Brick, I just wanted to have some fun—"

"Shut UP!" Brick yelled, slamming his fork down and breaking his plate in half. He stood up, grabbing him by his shirt. "What the fuck is the trouble with your brothers anyway, that you have to hang out with a freaking puff?!"

"You want to know?! You want to know?!"

Boomer growled and slammed a fist into his brother's gut. "You guys call me stupid, gay, fag, dumbass, and you make me do horrible, horrible things I don't even want to do! And Bubbles…" Boomer glared at the floor.

"Bubbles WHAT?!" Brick taunted. The Professor wasn't even fazed looking at his cracked walls.

Boomer looked down.

Buttercup looked impressed.

Blossom's jaw had dropped.

Butch was calmly chewing his ham off a fork, a crazy look on his face.

But the blonde Puff was quiet.

"At least she knows how to be nice to me!"

And with that, he disappeared with a beam of neon blue.

Brick was panting, ankle-length red hair messy but standing on edge. "Okay, what the fuck is up with him?!"

Blossom floated off her chair and gently patted Brick on the back. She knew what it was like fighting with her sisters. Even worse was that they were bitch fights, and everyone knew bitch fights were deadlier than violent ones. Blossom also knew the heavy weight on a leader's shoulders—even for villains.

"Why don't we have a talk, Brick?"

Brick lifted a brow. "Okay," he muttered.

Bubbles wanted to see him.

So while the Greens and Reds all went up to their rooms, Bubbles sped off and started looking for Boomer.

She found him by the pond, knees up to his face and emitting soft sobs. Was Boomer Jojo, a Rowdy Ruff, crying?

"You didn't have to come, Bubbly," Boomer sniffed.

"Nah, I had nothing else to do," Bubbles said, slipping beside him.

"Sorry," Boomer whispered. "For bursting out like that, I mean."

"It's fine, really."

Boomer sighed and rubbed his eyes. Then he faced Bubbles with sad, puppy-dog eyes. "Hey, Bubbly…"

"Yes, Boomer?" Bubbles said.

"C-c-an I…" he began, blushing madly. "C-can I s-sleep o-on y-y-y-your lap…?"

Bubbles smiled and shifted, gently easing him down onto her thighs. Boomer sighed and rolled over so he was facing her. He smiled back. "You're really pretty, Bubbly." He reached out and touched her lips. "You know that, right?"

Bubbles looked away and blushed.

"Hey." Boomer said, sticking out his lip in a pout.

Bubbles wasn't looking.

"Hey."

No response.

Boomer grinned. "Fine then, if you won't respond…I'm going to have to do it."

Bubbles turned and faced him, wide-eyed. "Do what?"

"This."

An instant later, Boomer had tugged on one of Bubbles' pigtails, crashed his lips into hers and had pinned her to the ground.

(A/N Oh goddamn that was cheesy. I am not used to this. I am not used to this.)

"You cheat!" Bubbles whined.

"I didn't cheat. You fell for it."

"Did not!"

"Did too."

"Did not!"

"Did too."

"Did n-mmph!"

Boomer had planted another kiss on her lips.

"Ha!" Buttercup cackled, pointing at a defeated Butch, who groaned and collapsed hysterically on the floor, whining about how he let Buttercup win in a Tekken round.

"Oh please, Butcher Boy," Buttercup snorted, as she snatched the bag of chips away. "I won. Accept thy fate, loser!"

That made Butch sit up. "You, little miss tough-ass stuck-up douche, are calling me, the Butch Rowdy Ruff, a loser?" He taunted, twitching.

"What," Buttercup began slowly, easing forward, "are you going to do about it?"

Silence…

And then…

"Headlock!"

Buttercup yelped while Butch roared in delight. "Ha! I got you now, missy!"

"In *choke* your dreams!"

Butch paused. "Yo, you alright?"

"*choke* fine!"

He pursed his lips and let her go. "Okay. Maybe I squeezed too hard.."

"Maybe?!" Buttercup snapped, crossing her arms.

"I did. Sheesh!"

Both Greens paused.

Then an evil thought crept into Butch's mind. "Okay, babe, if I win the next round, you do whatever I say, no questions asked. If you win…then vice versa," he said. "Deal?"

"Deal."

The Greens played a harsh game of Tekken that didn't look like it was going to end. Butch was winning. Buttercup was catching up—but painfully slowly.

And…

"K.O.!" The narrator said.

"No!" Buttercup screeched.

"Fuck yes!"

Butch pumped a fist in the air. He stood, then crossed his arms. "Okay, Butter, stand up."

Buttercup did so.

"Now," Butch said slowly, voice growing a little bit steelier, "close your eyes and lean forward."

Buttercup started to protest, but Butch raised a hand. "Ah, ah, ah, no questions asked."

Knowing she'd regret this later, Buttercup closed her eyes and leaned forward, heart thumping. What was he doing? He was taking too long to respond…

And then Butch kissed her.

She let out a muffled scream but didn't break the kiss. Butch held her steady and grinned between their joined lips.

"There!" He said, his grin getting wider.

Slam!

Buttercup had slammed him to the ground with a punch and held him steady with a foot.

"What. The Fuck. Was That?!"

Butch gagged. Geez, he thought girls liked that kind of cheesy stuff! He gagged again. Well, this was Buttercup they were talking about.

"That, little miss rough-tough, was a kiss."

"Why'd you give me one?"

"'Cause I think you're pretty cool."

"You what?!"

"I think you're cool. Oh, and nice undies by the way. Love the skulls."

…and that was the moment, Butch Jojo, fifteen years old, perished under the strength of his counterpart.

"Ow! Dammit, Pinkie, will you be careful?!"

"Shut up! I'm being as careful as I can, and Boomer hit you pretty bad! There are lines of raw energy on the bruise."

Brick rolled his crimson eyes. "Well, Pinkie, in case you weren't paying attention back when you were six, then you should know that Boomer played a game of raw-energy-baseball with your little sister with a bat out of raw elec. That's why there's electricity in my bruise…stupid," he added the last word too quickly.

Blossom blinked. "Um…?"

"I-I mean…"

Brick groaned. "Great, now Pinkie knows I'm a nerd," he whined.

"Oh, shut up," Blossom muttered. "And nothing's bad about being a nerd. I prefer to call it smart, anyway," she said.

"Smart…nerd…same thing," Brick said, sighing in comfort as Blossom dabbed at the bruise. "That feels good."

A mischievous look crept into his face.

"Better, Brick?" Blossom asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"Nope. Not yet," He said, grinning.

"What? Why not!" Blossom whined.

"There's one thing you've forgotten," he replied, wagging a finger. 'something very important."

"And that is…?"

Silence.

And then…

"Kiss it better?" Brick asked innocently, tapping at his bruised forehead.

Blossom turned redder than his hat, and that was definitely saying something. She crossed her arms and scowled.

"No."

"Aw, but the sparks are gone," Brick whined.

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Pretty please?"

"Aren't you scared of cooties?"

"Please, please, please, please, please, please-?"

"Fine, only if you shut up!"

Blossom leaned in, shaking. Brick grinned and quickly tilted his head downward, making her aim for his lips instead.

They met. Brick felt sparks run down his spine and a tingly feeling in his chest.

three…two…one…

"Damn it, Brick!"