2-20-11

11:59pm

Summary–Bubbles thinks Boomer and her already have the perfect relationship (friends...with benefits) but they just need a few subtle (or not so subtle) hints to show what they're missing. Bubbles/Boomer, with some Blossom/Brick and Buttercup/Butch

Disclaimer–I do not own The Powerpuff Girls, which belongs to its respective owner(s) and is only being used in a fan-made, fictional story.

xoxo

Title–Subtle

Part 6–'Boom'

By–Moon Prynces

xoxo

She walked quietly behind him while he stuck a key in the lock and opened the door.

It was just her luck that Brick and Butch had other things to do (practice, and studying with their girlfriends) than be there at that moment. What she didn't know was that Blossom and Buttercup had kind of kept them away from this situation, not knowing what would happen.

Well, maybe if the other two boys had been around then nothing would have happened.

Either way, Bubbles had decided (as they left the school together) that she would grab her forgotten books, make excuses and get the hell out of there. Boomer was eerily calm and quiet, watching her with an impassive expression and hints of a challenge.

Challenging her to what?

"So, where's my stuff?" she questioned with a causal sweep of the area.

Boomer glanced up from dropping his things on the floor.

"Oh yeah. They're still in my room," he responded before going back to his bag to remove his own books.

Bubbles slowly wandered into his room, seeming as if nothing were amiss. The two books were sitting quaintly on his end table, as if waiting for her.

She exhaled while gingerly lifting them, one part of her plan already complete. She also avoided looking at the bed more than was necessary, trying harder than ever to block out the sounds and motions playing in her mind.

But when she looked up, Boomer was just walking up to his doorway and she botched her own plan.

"I think I should get going. I was supposed to help the Professor with some experiments," Bubbles suddenly said, causing the boy to scrunch up his brows in confusion and skepticism. She shrugged with a helpless smile, trying to come off as sweet and honest.

"You gotta be kidding," he muttered to himself as she began making her way over, even though he didn't immediately clear the path for her to leave.

And just like a Venus flytrap after being triggered, she found herself trapped after being shoved into his bedroom wall when she got close enough for him to make the daring move.

It was stupid, she told herself mentally. She should have waited until they were back in the living room before blurting out that barely passable lie.

"Ow, what the–" she shouted in surprise.

Boomer smirked down at Bubbles while she glared and her mouth twisted open without sound, suppressing any more declarations of discomfort and pain.

"Oh, come on. You're a Powerpuff Girl," he shot back haughtily. "Stop acting like that hurt."

Bubbles frowned and gritted her teeth.

It did hurt. He was a Rowdyruff Boy, after all.

"I just can't believe you're already running away from me. You literally just got here," he said with his forearm still bracing heavily across her collar bone and his body leaning onto hers to prevent any damage to his person. (A guy's gotta look out for the family jewels, right?)

"I'm not running away from anything," she shot back with a glare. "You can let me go now."

Bubbles didn't want to admit he had her pinned pretty well and it would turn into an ugly struggle if she attempted 'escape'. Not to mention she was– Well, not feeling well in that moment.

"You know what? Fine!" he shouted in her face with a condescending look. "If you don't want a relationship, fine! What do I care as long as I get to make out and hook up with a hot girl?"

She looked at him in surprise at the turn of events.

Why was he even bringing this up?

"Everything can easily go back to the way it was before, you know," he told her with the same hard stare.

Her mouth opened to reply but all she seemed to do was gasp in response.

Did he really mean it though? Could it be so simple? She really did want things to go back and–

Boomer snorted, rolled his eyes and made the decision for her by swooping in and kissing her harshly.

It wasn't fueled by curiosity and a desire to experiment. Or even actual lust, or any deeper feelings. It was just...let-me-prove-my-point.

And anger. Yeah, there was a fair amount of that in there.

Still, Bubbles found herself unable to respond and wishing she could pull away from him and this entire situation. How bad would the damage be if she just broke through the wall behind her? (Yes, that's exactly where her thoughts were.)

He pulled back after trying to force her to kiss him, but not by much and only to breathe out taunting words.

"Come on Bubbles, you're always the one initiating this stuff. We can just go back to whatever we had before." And his lips ghosted over her neck and ear, waiting.

Bubbles was still figuring out if she could somehow wedge her hands between their bodies to push him off her, but she cringed at adding more physical contact to this mess.

"You have a crush on me. There's no way you can just go back," she told him, looking off to the side while her hands reached to his waist, but stopped short and curled slowly into fists, refusing to touch him.

There was silence for a moment and her eyes looked up at him slowly to see a wry smile on his lips.

"Yeah, but I can get over it," Boomer shrugged like it was nothing and he finally stepped back and let go of her, momentarily forgetting about her own recent confession.

Bubbles took a deep breath and debated racing out of the house with her superspeed. Then she almost rolled her eyes.

Where would that get her? It might just be better to get this whole confrontation thing over with. Whether they went back to 'before' or dissolved their friendship altogether, it would be a relief to just have it happen already.

"Can we just clear up some things before you run off like Bambi or something?" he questioned irritably.

Bubbles glared. She wasn't a damn deer.

"I am not a pushover!" he burst out, seething.

She winced but kept her glare. Stupid sisters.

"I didn't mean it. I was just..." She looked around with a pained expression, wanting to drop the subject altogether.

"Upset?" he shot back with some smug look.

"Wasn't thinking," she said defiantly against his claim. With her body free, she folded her arms over her chest.

Boomer looked her up and down with a deadpan gaze, as if sizing her up.

"Okay, well then I'm sorry about what happened on Friday," he said slowly, calmly. "If you wanna pretend that didn't happen then it's a done deal."

Bubbles hesitated in answering. Then she set a serious expression and bit out, "I have to go." And she turned back to the doorway.

Even her superspeed wasn't good enough because (he was a Rowdyruff Boy and) he slapped a hand on the doorframe, startling her and blocking her departure very minimally.

"Are you serious?" he asked her in disbelief. "I am trying to work things out here and you're pissed? Really now?" And he took a big step back and crossed his arms. "Is it because your best friend started avoiding you like you were diseased? Or because said best friend likes to start shit and then leave before anything turns sour? Or maybe," his eyes widened mockingly, "Because said best friend comes back every time?"

Bubbles shook her head in denial, horrified at her portrayal. And also because it seemed to be quite accurate.

"I'm not a pushover, at least we agree there. But see that's the thing. I did what 'you wanted' because I wanted that too. And the second I'm not agreeing with you you're gonna disown me as a friend?" Boomer questioned, looking a bit hurt. "Okay, well I'll admit I was trying that whole strategy where you leave the girl alone, give her space and she'll realize what she's missing and come running back to you," he shrugged carelessly. "But I guess I was wrong. I mean it didn't work. I'm not even sure if you actually like me as you supposedly said that day. Maybe you weren't thinking then either."

It was hurting her ears to listen to any of this. Seriously, was there blood dripping down her face yet or what?

He squinted his eyes unsurely, suspiciously. Finally he asked, "Are you...are you shaking?"

She pressed her lips together before responding, apparently trying to hold herself together. "No. I'm not," she said evenly.

Boomer stared longer, watching as her body twitched awkwardly, before raising a brow. "Yeah you are. What, are you having a seizure or something?"

"No! I'm just– Don't touch me!" she shrieked as he tried to place a comforting hand on her shoulder.

He pulled back quickly and in shock.

There was a pause as he watched her condition, or whatever it was, continue while she took a few breaths to counter it.

"So...we're done then?" he questioned after, what he felt was, a reasonable amount of time. "I guess the verdict is that we're done with everything, right? No more–"

"You can't just get over it," Bubbles interrupted. "I know, because I've been freaking trying!" she told him angrily.

"What now?" Boomer questioned with a blink. It would have been so much easier to fall for any other girl.

"I mean," she went on with the same tone, "That every time we see each other I have a heart attack or something. And I feel like I've been dropped in a desert because heat just creeps up the back of my neck the way it's not supposed to." Bubbles closed her eyes and sighed before looking at him again. "I've been trying to get over you. Step one is distance. I can't talk to you, or even be near you."

Boomer stared blankly, and as the wheels began turning he had to fight down a smile and shake of the head.

"Us having sex was not supposed to happen," Bubbles said plainly. "Because– because–"

His almost-smile faded.

"Because now everything is worse. Like my feelings are even stronger or something!" she bit out, once again angry.

He made a pinched expression, trying to keep neutral. His eyes glanced around for a few seconds before, "But you never gave any sign that you felt that way."

"It was only recently after...Brick opened his big mouth and all that crap. It doesn't mean I'm not having like, heart palpitations or something whenever you're around!" she argued and then immediately cringed, shrinking back away from him with a greatly pained expression.

Boomer grinned and looked down, shaking his head.

"And don't smile," Bubbles ordered while re-crossing her arms. "It doesn't help."

Now that just made him laugh.

And this, in turn, caused Bubbles to wince and start breathing quicker, not even trying to hide it. Boomer took notice.

"You're really that uncomfortable?"

She looked like she needed a hug, but that was obviously not a good idea because she didn't want him touching her.

He rolled his eyes.

She was such a weirdo. Well, that made sense seeing as she cornered and manipulated him into consenting to that first kiss when they were only fourteen. Definitely not behavior one would expect from a Powerpuff Girl – especially not Bubbles.

Boomer backed up to sit down heavily on his bed, and the action made Bubbles glance at the doorway.

"You're still doing the deer caught in headlights thing," he said casually and leaned back on his hands.

"I am not afraid of you," she responded with narrowed eyes. "And I'm not running away."

"Oh yeah?" his voice mocked.

Now that he knew exactly how she felt and some of the symptoms, Boomer could literally pinpoint the moment when her breath got stuck in her throat and notice the very slight widening of her eyes.

She was actually very good at keeping it under wraps. It was pretty amazing.

Which kind of made his body respond to her nervous behavior with increased heat of his own.

How could such a manipulative, deceptively devious person look so innocent and hot while squirming under his gaze?

It had to be the pigtails.

"Go home Bubbles," he finally decided and waved a hand dismissively.

The girl only stiffened, affronted. "I am not afraid of you!"

Boomer was mentally deciding what he would do when she left as he lazily asked, "Then what are you afraid of?"

"Of–" Bubbles stopped from letting some thoughtless, random answer pass through her lips before passing through her brain. "Of feeling like every part of my body stops functioning whenever you happen to be around and not– not being able to do anything about it."

He sat up straight and stared.

But she was already moving to sit beside him while still speaking, as if to herself. "And then I didn't know what to do and I didn't want to tell anyone so I found myself online, searching for help on how to get over someone and I also managed to find a good recipe for pie so I guess something good came out of it even though this whole avoiding you thing is upsetting both of us."

It was such a long winded sentence that Boomer wasn't sure he understood it all.

He mentally heard the tick tock of a clock a few times before asking, "So...you avoiding me was first, because you were just avoiding your feelings altogether and then because you were trying to get rid of them?"

Bubbles looked up at him from staring at her hands and realized the proximity she had put herself in. So that's when her heart started racing and aching and she almost jumped up to race right out of the room.

"You kind of just need to deal with it."

And he leaned over to put his mouth on hers before she could respond.

But it was slow this time, and not...wanting. More like giving.

He carefully, and lightly, pushed her back on the bed and leaned over her, not climbing on top at all. Not dominating or forceful.

Bubbles kissed him back because it was the instinctive reaction she had whenever his lips touched hers (except for earlier). How could she work against two years of habit and experience?

Still, she was surprised when he pulled back enough to look at her and speak in a low voice.

"It is uncomfortable, I guess. Just because...you've never liked someone before, huh?" Boomer said with an apologetic look. "But it doesn't have to be."

Her brows slowly drew together in concern and fear at the weightless feeling inside her, trying to push its way out. She placed a hand on her chest, wishing her insides would stop feeling like they would explode.

She especially hated the way her heart rate sped up, and that she was so conscious of it.

Bubbles pushed Boomer away so they both sat up again on the bed and he thought he'd finally crossed a line. She wasn't ready for this...romance and being 'in like' and all that.

The girl took a few deep breaths, her heart seeming to be the only organ in her body, as it kept up a constant reminder of its presence.

It didn't have to be uncomfortable. It didn't have to be a bad thing. She didn't have to think of it as a part of her dying, ready to leap out of her body after making her pass out.

She could do this. Well, of course she could. Look at everything else she'd done with him. Giving in to emotions would...probably still make her insides explode, but it was worth a shot.

So she turned to him, grinned (only half sure of herself) and pushed him back onto the bed, climbing over his surprised (and satisfied) form.

Her heart rate picked up again, but she ignored it, distracted herself.

How, exactly?

By not moving as slowly as he did, as slowly as everyone else did.

xoxo

Right. Because if Brick and Butch had been around then nothing would have happened.

xoxo

This should have been posted sometime over the weekend but I had family things and then Sunday was too distracted to reread the damn thing.

I'm not quite sure how I feel about the way things have turned out so far. There is another chapter I want to write but I'm quite sure, this time, that it will be the end. This chapter was already long and only covered their confrontation so I figured I'd make a proper ending with some more...stuff in there.

If there's anything you think I haven't explained (or explained well enough), tell me so I can try to write it in with the story and help you, which would actually help me and the story as well.

3-1-11

2:11am