Me: Hey lookie here, yet another chapter! Aren't I a good little bean? I haven't missed an update yet! Hopefully I don't miss it too bad… Anyways heyo next chapter! Quick question that is completely unrelated to this chapter, I'm super against smexy timez. Not the act, but like writing it? I've tried to write that kind of stuff before, but it's cringe-worthy. Straight up, I've never bumped any uglies, so of course, I can't write it out. If I like write in some foreplay, and then put in a random sexy kpop song (FYI Spotify's Sexiest K-Grooves? Honey yes please, the late 80s-early 00s vibe with the standard hot Korean rap is my aesthetic in every way shape and form), is that like considered high T or M? I'd rather keep it high T, but hey, they are young, and young people get down. Do any of you think that's appropriate in any way, shape, or form?

Anyways, special heyo for Poodie, who was an absolute doll, commented not once, but like thrice… wait, lemme get my phone and be super accurate…

*Got phone* Okay, so thrice on this fic, and three times on my other fics! Thanks Poodie, you're an angel, and your comments made me smile and laugh! Please don't read Prayer for a Curse though, it's a mild embarrassment I really need to delete… But you're so sweet! Anyways, for you, Poodie, you cutie patoodie (Ayy that play on words, right?) here's chapter 4!

WARNING Kaoru is super super OOC, like borderline tsundere in this chapter. It's also short. Sorry Poodster! Butch is also pretty OOC, super sorry guys!

Shit Happens

Chapter 4- Another's Eyes

There was something wrong with Kaoru, Miyako was sure of it. Most people found the blonde ball of joy to be naïve, stupid even, but that was not the case. Under her never-ending optimism was a girl wise beyond her years, able to read people with a glance. This led to Miyako being constantly sympathetic, and 'always knowing how someone is." She was in Kaoru's swivel chair, slowly turning about. Kaoru herself was lying on her bed, monotonously tossing a ball in the air. The silence was awkward, borderline unbearable.

"What's wrong?" she finally asked. Kaoru glanced back, her eyes wide.

"How did you know?" Kaoru asked, not even trying to deny her issue.

"Listen, Kaoru, I always know," Miyako answered playfully. Kaoru gave her a weak grin back. Goodness, this one was a doozy, wasn't it…?

"Okay, so there's this guy, right?" she began, and Miyako let out a squeal. She instantly regretted her lapse of judgement, but yes, she squealed. I mean, it isn't every day when Kaoru "ew boys are nasty" Matsubara came in with a boy problem. Especially not one she couldn't fight with her fists. "Miyako, can you stop? I'm not gonna continue if you're going to constantly react like that." Miyako clapped a hand to her lips and nodded.

"Not a peep, got it." Kaoru cracked a smile.

"Anyways, we're like friends? I mean, I think we're friends… I'm not really sure… but we hang out a lot, okay? And at first we were chill, you know, but then something… something happened." This was not her normal Kaoru; this girl sounded confused and unsure. The ball in her hand began being thrown and caught at an irregular speed.

"Now we're weird. Sometimes I stare at him and he stares at me, and then things get all… all weird, okay? And then we stop staring and it's like-" the ball dropped to the floor. "It's like I get splashed with cold water or something. Miyako nodded wisely.

"So… you like him," Miyako answered bluntly. Miyako choked, and turned to stare at her longtime friend.

"The actual hell are you taking about? I-I don't like him. Impossible." The ball rolled by unnoticed. "We just… just chill, okay? I call him names, he calls me names, we dick around, go out to eat - normal things." Miyako gave her nails an absent-minded onceover.

"So how long have you been seeing him?" she asked, stifling a laugh as Kaoru turned beet red.

"I'm not seeing anybody! We're just friends, okay? We just hang out." Miyako rolled her eyes. With that tone, Kaoru was barely believing herself.

"Okay, so how long have you two been 'hanging out' for?" she replied, emphasizing her air quotes.

"I don't know – like a month or two?" Miyako's head snapped up so fast she was surprised she didn't suffer any whiplash.

"Wait, how much now?" she asked, eyes wide.

"Now that I think about it, definitely two months," Kaoru clarified.

"Two months of hanging out and you tell me all of this now?" Kaoru reddened further and shifted guiltily under her friend's gaze.

"It's complicated." Miyako shot another glance at Kaoru. The usually strong girl was chewing the inside of her cheek, glancing up hopelessly at her. "It's complicated and weird and I hate how my cheeks get all red when I'm around him- and, and those time when he just looks so damn caring and it's like time fucking stops and I want him to stop-"

"But?" Miyako added softly. Kaoru's eyes shut tight.

"But then I don't. He's sweet and funny and he annoys the living shit out of me but somehow," her voice grew quiet, "somehow it kind of feels perfect."

XX

Meanwhile, in New Citiesville, Boomer was dealing with an enigma of his own. No matter how dumb or naïve everyone thought him to be, similar to Miyako, he was also observant and seemingly omnipotent. He also knew for a fact that something was wrong with Butch.

"Does Butch seem okay to you?" he asked Brick. The redheaded brother glanced at his watch impatiently.

"Boom, I can't gallivant with you on your Dr. Phil journeys right now, okay? I've got a presentation to catch and my taxi's late… I swear to god, if I have to wait a minute more I'll fucking fly instead!" Boomer rolled his eyes and re-entered the house. As usual, he would have to go about fixing Butch himself.

"Oi, Butchie-boy!" he yelled into the living room.

"Can you yell that a little louder? The Martians didn't quite catch that," Butch retorted. Boomer, in turn, walked in. Butch was lounging around on the sofa, staring at the ceiling.

"What's up bro?" Boomer asked, easing into the loveseat and slowly stretching.

"Things," Butch replied noncommittally.

"Are you gonna tell me what's wrong yet?" Butch glanced up at Boomer like he was insane.

"What do you mean wrong? Nothing's wrong idiot."

"Case and point; now tell me what's going on so I can hurry the fuck up and fix it." Butch quirked a brow.

"When you're normal," Boomer explained, "your answer would've been more along the lines of 'your face, asswipe.' Now tell me and make my life easy."

"It's a girl problem. You wouldn't understand."

"Stop being such a pussy and tell me." Butch let out a sigh, and Boomer grinned. He won this round.

"The girl and I, we hang out… sort of. We eat and talk. Is that hanging out? Whatever. At first she was annoying, like straight up pain in the ass. Smug and stuff, you know? But then she became alright, kinda fun even. And now - now things are weird."

"Weird how? Boomer asked, leaning in most Dr. Phil-like.

"Like, I'm beginning to notice things about her, little things I usually wouldn't realize. Like she has these nice eyes, and-and when she blushes it starts from her ear, and then I just begin staring, 'cuz I like noticing these things? But we were never friends, and I don't wanna-"

"You don't wanna like her?" Boomer supplied. Butch choked and shot up, his cheeks light pink. Whoa. Boomer had never seen Butch blush before.

"No freaking way. I don't like her."

"Do you hear yourself? You like staring at her. 'She blushes from the ears.' Who the hell looks at someone for that long unless they like that person?"

"No way, Boom. I don- I can't like her."

XX

As if by fate, or luck, or some other form of happenstance, both blues asked, "Why?" Butch and Kaoru glanced down at their laps, fingers fiddling uncomfortably.

"I just- I don't want anything to change," the Ruff and the Puff said in sync.

{end chapter 4}

Yeah, yeah, I know the chapter was super short and a day late, but I feel like it's kind of important, and I'm super excited for the next chapter because finally action will be happening! Completely unrelated, I think I might write and post a crossover fic, RotBTD and frozen, both here and on ao3, since I have an ao3 account (if you wanna find out what I've been reading its hello_world_im_fangirl, but nothing's up rn. It'd be a Sweet Tooth (aka Bunnymund x Toothiana from ROTG) but like with all of my new era Disney-Pixar baes heavily sprinkled into a coffee shop AU. The first one is a oneshot, but I think I wanna expand on it, even though I'm writing this monster that has no real plot (pray for me guys). R&R what you think, and can't wait to see you guys later this month! Promise I won't be late!