; w ; You guys are awesome! Thank you so much for the kind reviews! (((: Every single one brought a smile to my face and it made me very happy to know the last chapter was of your liking.

I promised a continuation so here it is.

Mine

Epilogue

Christmas parties have never really been my thing. Our closest friends and family come over to the house but soon enough it becomes a public gathering where all the neighbors come to wish us happy holidays and decide to stay. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't necessarily dislike having visitors over, I just happen to prefer some time alone with just my closest friends and family for the considered 'family holiday'. That and the fact that anyone, criminals included, are allowed to come.

Boomer, as Bubbles husband, had invited his brothers over and they had showed up right after more people had started coming. Well, maybe 'criminals' was a strong word considering Boomer retired after he began dating Bubbles and Brick and Butch followed when Boomer proposed. It was hard to believe but it had happened, and tonight it showed. Brick seemed to be having a pleasant conversation with the Professor and Uncle Eugene, while Butch seemed to be having a great time will all the females, single or taken, with relatively noticeable boobs.

I. Need. Alcohol.

I walked to the mini-bar the Professor had accommodated for tonight and asked my cousin Scotty for a drink. He was about three years younger than I was, but he was already a certified bartender. Uncle Eugene wasn't very happy with this but he was happy to see his son working rather than leaching off him and his money. Besides, Scotty gave Uncle Eugene a very good explanation of how mixing beverages could compare to mixing chemicals in scientific experiments. My guess is Uncle Eugene gave him props for cleverness.

Anyway, since he was serving the drinks I was only entitled to one alcoholic drink an hour or so. Apparently, the Professor had been keeping count of my alcoholic drinks during Bubbles's wedding because of the tab at the bar. Unfortunately for me, without the alcohol numbing my brain I was aware of my surroundings and of a certain green eyed idiot enjoying all the girls throwing themselves at him. Not that I cared for Butch or anything.

"You look like you need a drink," my cousin said giving me a margarita.

"And I would appreciate it more if it had some alcohol in it," I put the sweetest smile on my face that got me into clubs when I was only sixteen.

"Sorry cousin, I can't disobey the Prof's orders," he said smiling, probably wishing he could get some alcohol in his system too but the parents were present. If he disobeyed he could get his license revoked by his father; Uncle Eugene had connections.

"What if I said it was for someone else?"

"I would have to ask that someone else to come along with you and ask for the drink himself," he said rather amused, probably at my need for my brain to shut off.

"I'll be right back," I said hoping to find a volunteer that would be willing to ask for an alcoholic drink for me.

I walked through the rather crowded room hoping to find any of my high school or college buddies that would get me my drink. I was actually surprised to see all of the people that had come to the party. Didn't they have families to be with rather than with a bunch of- rather famous- strangers? I rolled my eyes annoyed.

I kept looking through the crowd to find Butch getting rather smothered by a petite blonde- and he seemed to be enjoying it. He had a flirty smile on his face and his eyes seemed to be clouded with emotion. He was looking at her the same way he had looked at me after kissing at the club.

"Oh Butch you're just too funny," I heard the blonde say as she ran her hand across Butch's chest.

I felt my heart sink a little but quickly brushed it off and walking away before he decided to kiss her- unless he already had. I wouldn't be able to stand it. To be honest, I hadn't been able to stop thinking about that kiss and I had even thought of a possible 'us' between Butch and I- heck! I even still had the card he had left in the bouquet the night we went dancing. I had done everything I could to not let those thoughts run through my mind but apparently Butch didn't seem to have to give it much thought. I mean, yeah I had kissed other guys at clubs but I never went on dates with them. Nor did I take them to family parties for someone to see me snogging them.

I hated my heart for skipping a beat every time I saw him when there were family reunions and Boomer invited his brothers. I hated my heart for giving me ideas of anything happening between us. But I specially hated my heart for growing soft on him. This wasn't me! I wasn't a softie that hoped for clichés to happen! I was Buttercup Utonium for crying out loud.

"Nice party," I heard a voice that I recognized right away said from behind me making me grimace. "Whoever died is definitely enjoying his or her funeral."

"It was definitely better about five seconds ago," I said turning around to face the man that had broken my heart and stepped all over it with a passion.

Mitch chuckled, "Glad to see you still have your sense of humor,"

"I dated you, didn't I?" I said with a serious face making him pout. "What do you want?"

"I want to talk with you," he said sounding somewhat like a plea.

"What about?"

"Us,"

"I'm out," I said and tried to walk away but he got in my way.

"Look," he cupped my face with his hands, "I know what I did was wrong but it's a mistake I'll always regret and will always pay for. I'm paying for it now! Please, Buttercup, no one could make me feel the same way you did."

I chuckled and smiled at him sardonically, "Did Princess finally dump you for good?"

"I mean it,"

"I do too," I said grabbing his hands and pushing them out of my face.

He sighed and crossed his arms over his chest, "you were always stubborn."

"And you were always a cheating bitch," I said making him flinch.

"Can't you let go of what happened?" he asked in a softer tone, "I mean, it's Christmas, the time of the year to forgive and forget."

"You're so full of it," I said rolling my eyes and shaking my head.

He only chuckled and grinned, "Look at that," he nodded at the ceiling.

I followed his gaze to find we were under... "A mistletoe,"

"Our first kiss was under a mistletoe," he smiled as if remembering something sweet making me somewhat blush in the process, "Of course, I haven't forgotten it was mid-spring, you were helping my mom and I to move out to our new place closer to downtown."

I chuckled, "Your attic was worse than a museum,"

"Hey, you don't find 1983 mayo just anywhere," he joked making a laugh escape my lips.

"I don't think you should pride yourself with that," I laughed jokingly.

He took a step closer to me, "How about we follow tradition?"

I looked up at him, my eyes locking with his slowly closing as he got closer to me to a point where I could feel his hot breath caressing my lips. I wanted to laugh at him, but for a reason Butch got in my head along with the annoyance- more like pain- it had brought me to see him with that petite blonde all over him without him giving a single complain. If he didn't care for that kiss as much as I did then he won't care I kiss my ex at the party.

"Hey Buttercup! Think you could get some more eggnog please?" Blossom said getting between Mitch and me. I had to remember to get her something amazing for Christmas, "We kind of ran out and we need more for the guests,"

"Sure!" I said not bothering to hide my gratitude that she had stopped me from making that mistake again.

"I'll go with you," he offered, more as an order than a suggestion, grabbing my hand in a tight grip. Oh silly stupid -perfectly breakable- boy.

I pulled away from his grip with enough strength to purposely hurt him a bit, "I'm flying there and you would only get in my way,"

"But-"

"Goodbye Mitch," I said finally walking away.

I grabbed my coat, got out of the house and started walking towards the store. It had started snowing and flying would be a waste of my time while driving would be plain stupid. Besides, I needed time to think. I was about to kiss my ex for the sake of forgetting Butch. What was wrong with me?

I got to the store and got the eggnog, which we probably didn't really need, and got to the cashier. The clerk recognized me as the girl that saver his store from a fire, and let me take the eggnog for free. It was nice being a superhero from time to time. But unfortunately, I was expected to always do the right thing.

After kissing Butch I had made up my mind to forget all about it. I had started going to clubs again and kissed random guys every other night hoping to find someone who would help me forget Butch's lips. If anything it had only made things worse because they all sucked and I would only think about Butch even more and now I was the 'good puff gone bad' as a magazine article had described me. Now everyone thought I was a disaster waiting to happen.

I sighed and got out of the store to find a figure leaning in front of a parked car that hadn't been there when I came in. I looked up to find a pair of darkened green eyes, his lips were a thin line and his brow puckered in annoyance.

"What are you doing-?"

"Get in," he said over me walking to the driver's side and getting in the car.

I felt the need to cuss him off for ordering me around and stomping away, but the curiosity to find out what he was doing there was bigger. I got in the strangely familiar black sports car and wasn't even done putting on my seatbelt when Butch had already stepped on the gas.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked when he got on the freeway trying to start a conversation. Butch didn't answer, he just looked straight at the road ahead. "I want an answer Butch,"

He glanced at me and sighed, "You took me to one of your special places, so now I wanna take you to one of my special places,"

"Strip clubs are not my thing," I tried to joke to ease the tension but he only chuckled.

"Great! Now we have to find somewhere else to go," he said in a serious tone making me wonder if I should take it as a joke and laugh or not.

I sighed and looked at the road ahead but from the corner of my eyes I caught a tassel dangling from the rearview mirror. That's when I realized…

"Is this my car!" I asked surprised.

Butch only looked at me and smirked, "I told you I was gonna drive this baby someday,"

I was shocked, but I felt mostly stupid for not realizing before that we had been in my car all along. Then again where else would he have gotten a black sports car? Wait… this is Butch I'm talking about, he would've figured something out.

"Well stop the car!" I ordered. I hated anyone driving my car. If this baby was to be totaled it would be by me.

"We're almost there," Butch said driving and completely ignoring my command.

I crossed my arms over my chest and frowned in annoyance as he chuckled and shook his head. He continued driving to what seemed to be an eternity until we seemed to start going uphill. I grunted trying to make sure he knew I was annoyed but I only earned a chuckle, which made me grunt more. I had stopped paying attention to the road, so by when he stopped and told me to get out of the car I was completely unaware of my location.

I got out of the car, glad to be able to stretch my legs, and noticed the glowing view of the city in front of us. I walked in front of the car and sat on the hood, mostly because the engine was warm and my butt was freezing. Butch sat next to me and stretched out a disposable coffee cup in my face. I recognized the smell right away: it was hot chocolate.

"How did you get them?" I asked looking at the two cups he was holding. I had tried to get some coffee in the morning but it had been impossible, "Coffee Shops are packed when it's this cold."

"I'm a Rowdyruff in Townsville, Buttercup," Butch said flashing his sexy smirk at me, "I never have to wait in line."

"How do I know this isn't some sort of poison?" I asked grabbing the cup mostly to keep my fingers from becoming ice and falling.

"That's not my style," He answered shrugging. "If I'm going to finally beat you it will be messy and bloody… not lame and poisoned."

"Glad to hear you want the best for me," I joked taking a sip of the hot chocolate burning my tongue.

There was some silence between the two of us, and it was starting to become somewhat uncomfortable. The view was gorgeous, though, I was surprised to see this city- whichever it is- so full of life despite the cold, it must be because of the holiday.

"So... are you gonna tell me what's up with that Mitch dude?" Butch said in a rather clam voice that made me flinch inside.

"Why do you even want to know?" I said sipping at my hot chocolate careful to not burn my tongue again. Where's a good bottle of vodka when you need one?

"Because it annoys me," he said in a low growl catching me off guard, "It bothers me how… beat you were and all he did was kiss another girl while I wasted years of my life fighting you and I never saw you that... weak,"

"I'm not weak!" I yelled.

"Of course you are," he scowled keeping his tone low. "Otherwise you wouldn't have run away from them like you did at the wedding."

"I didn't run away," I growled feeling my face twisting into an angry glare, "I'm simply not going to lower myself to their level and play their games. Period."

"Coward,"

I gaped at Butch offended, "You don't know anything,"

"If you told me, I would," his voice was like a monotone whisper. It surprisingly sounded like a complaining child.

I sighed pathetically, "He cheated on me with Princess, happy?"

"No, not really," he took another gulp at his cup, "more like utterly confused."

I grunted. "It doesn't take a genius to figure it out,"

"Maybe I just want you to spell it out for me,"

"Mitch was my first boyfriend ever, we dated, we slept together, and then he cheated on me. End of story." I growled fighting the tears that were forming at the back of my eyes really wanting that bottle of vodka. "But of course you don't know what that feels like. I bet you're the type of guy girls cheat on their boyfriends with so you're probably oblivious to the feeling."

"You really think I don't know what it feels like to have someone else snog at the one I want," he snorted hissing narrowing his eyes, "you obviously don't know me."

"Why are you making such a big deal out of this?" I asked hating myself for almost crying in front of him.

"Because I-" he cut himself in the middle of whatever he was going to say, "… I guess I didn't expect that something that stupid would hurt you so much."

"There are more painful ways to hurt someone than by punching them in the gut, Butch." I said remembering the heart ache I felt when I found Mitch kissing Princess at Junior Prom. Then my brain took a different direction, "If I remember correctly, the first time I beat you was with a kiss."

His brow puckered into a frown, probably surprised at the direction I had given to the conversation, "Oh yeah, you were such a horrible kisser," then he smirked at me, "so bad it killed me."

"As if you were any better," I said gaping at him, feeling grateful for his occasional jokes. I didn't like the tense road the conversation had taken.

"If I were such a bad kisser you wouldn't have come back for 3P's," he smirked, arrogance shinning bright in his eyes.

"It was because I was trying to destroy you... again," I frowned fighting the urge to blush, "but Him made you immune."

"I was still scarred for life," he joked again smirking. "And that's not exactly what I meant with coming back for 3P's."

I puckered my brow in pretended confusion trying hard not to blush, "I don't know what you're talking about."

It was hard to believe I would be having this conversation with Butch, out of everyone in the world. I mean, yeah we had gone dancing but that was because we both had one too many drinks to make our siblings' guest bearable, and it worked. I had a wonderful time with Butch and that kiss... I couldn't get it out of my head, even after all this time I still woke up to the feeling of his lips pressed against mine. But it had been the alcohol doing its job, and it couldn't have meant anything more than another set of lips to him.

"Look... Buttercup..." I glanced at him realizing I was hoping a little too much that I hadn't been just another set of lips to him. His eyes were focused on his hands, "I'm not the type of guy who goes telling girls how he feels about them. I don't go around hoping to make something- anything happen with anyone... but..."

"But?" I realized I was holding on to every word. Since when did I become such a softie?

He looked up at me locking his eyes with mine, "I had never felt the way I did when we kissed at the club,"

I felt my cheeks burning, and I sure was glad to see I wasn't the only one blushing, "what are you trying to say?"

"I really don't know," he said in a rather serious voice that made me half-laugh. This had to be the most awkward moment of all times.

"You had eight months to sort out your thoughts and you still don't know what to say?" I quirked an eyebrow at him jokingly.

"Actually, I hadn't given it a lot of thought until today," he shrugged off handedly, "I think I'm doing pretty well for a complete improvisation."

There was silence. I had to admit it stung a little to hear him say that. I had spent so much time trying to forget how much that kiss had rocked my bones. I had gone back to clubs to avoid falling into a lovesick cliché, which it seemed like I was in a crashing course, so to hear him say he didn't care for it as much was a punch in my pride's gut.

"It's not... like I haven't thought about... us..." he said as if on cue with my thoughts, "it's just that... I don't even know if there is a chance for an 'us',"

I looked at him arching an eyebrow, "Is there?"

"I don't know," he shrugged, "all I know is that life, luck, fate, destiny, or whatever is behind all of this has some sick sense of humor,"

"Or we just don't have enough,"

"Possibly," he shrugged again. "Besides, if it had been up to you we would still be avoiding each other until you got out of your denial."

"I'm not in denial!"

"Tell me you like me then,"

I felt my cheeks burning. "I don't like you!"

"Exhibit A," he smirked obviously amused.

I looked away biting down on my lower lip, "This isn't easy for me,"

"Oh and it's a walk in the park for me, Buttercup," He said, sarcasm more than obvious is every word.

"You seemed to be doing just fine with that blonde," I said sounding a bit too catty.

He looked at me and frowned, "And you weren't wasting any time with Mitch,"

I flinched and looked down at my still full cup. There was silence between the two of us again. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all…

"An 'us' is nearly impossible," he said getting up.

"I know," I said looking away and shrugged pretending to not care.

"And Boomer is an idiot," he said, I looked at him confused to notice he was standing in front of me. "And if he's such an idiot and it worked for him, considering I'm smarter than him it should work for me too."

"What does that mean?" I asked utterly confused.

He put both of his hands on the hood on each side of me, leaning forward, his lips getting painfully close to mine, "it means I want you and I don't care about anything else."

He pressed his lips against mine sending fireworks through my body. It was surprisingly and unusually tender but I wasn't complaining. My jaw was too frozen to compete for who was in control with him anyway.

"We should go back to my place," I said against his lips

"At least get me somewhat drunk," he joked as I pulled away.

"You can have my hot chocolate," I suggested remembering the cup half-full in my hands,

"Good enough," he joked kissing my lips again.

I laughed pulling away and got in the passenger seat as he drove us back to Townsville, holding my hand as he drove. We got back to the party to find it somewhat empty, most of the people had already gone home, including Brick. Butch kissed me goodbye to catch up with his brother and gave me back my car keys smirking. Blossom was mad at me for taking so long to bring the eggnog. Apparently, she had to go get some herself because I never came back.

I didn't pay much attention because my brain was in an inexplicable state of blissful ecstasy. I had never felt this way before, and the butterflies in my stomach were making me feel drunk. I decided to go to my room before I did something stupid and before the Professor and Blossom actually thought I was really drunk. I opened the door to my room and found a bouquet of red roses lying on my bed. I smiled and grabbed the card blushing in anticipation.

"You're mine,

Butch,"

A year later…

I sniffled as a set of soft lips pressed against my cheek waking me up.

"What do you want?" I whined jokingly not opening my eyes.

"I told you, you were gonna be mine," he whispered into my ear, victory enveloping every word.

"I just had enough drinks this time," I said opening my eyes and smirking at him.

"Fair enough," he shrugged and pressed his lips against mine.

"Happy anniversary, Butch," I said against his lips.

He pulled away and looked at me in the eyes, "Happy anniversary, girl whose name I forget from time to time,"

"Jerk!" I laughed pushing him almost making him fall off the bed.

He gaped pretending to be offended, "Keep that up and I'm gonna find someone else,"

"You can't," I said in a serious voice.

"Why not?" he quirked an eyebrow as a smirk spread across his lips.

"Because you're mine," I said making him genuinely smile- not smirk- pressing his lips against mine again.

The End.

I hope I didn't disappoint with this. It's hard to write tender scenes about the greens without making them a bit OOC. I tried to make it obvious this wasn't their thing, since I imagine it's not, to try to keep them a bit more in character rather than going full on "I love you!" "I love you too!" scene. I have nothing against those scenes, I write them from time to time but this is what I think would happen in this particular situation.

Take Care Everyone!