I am regretful to say that the Powerpuff girls have . . . . passed away. Due to an extreme case shock. As with their counterparts The Rowdyruff boys. Alright, that's bull. Butch and Boomer died of shock. Brick killed himself. He couldn't take the awesomeness of Blossom.

Brick: Bullshit! Awesomeness my ass...

HE LIVES! *strangles Brick with hug*

Blossom: *moves away from Brick* Don't stand too close Megmeg. When lightning hits I wouldn't want to stand to close.

Butch: Boomer wouldn't die of shock. He'd die of a brain aneurysm or something. Too much thinking about what you wrote.

Bubbles: You discredit Boomer so much! It's so mean.

*BrickxBlososm arguing in back* *BubblesxButch arguing now too* Right... well, before someone really does die *coughmurderered* I better do the thanks to everyone.

Bubbles: I'll do it! I'll do it! *clears throat* Thank you to the following people:

- Water Fairy a.k.a. Mizu

- powerpunkbrat

- bookie101

- becomingemo

- Uniquely Amazing

- aoi123456789

Thank you, Bubbles. Sorry for posting this so early. I know it's been only a few days since I last posted but my friend Caity Rose for hounding me to update already. So thank her if you were eager for this chapter. Thanks for reading everyone! Enjoy!


Buttercup's POV:

"I'm sorry, you're what?"

"I'm going to the movies and an after dinner thing with Robin and some friends from class."

I crossed my arms, glaring at my blonde haired, bubble brained sister as she put earrings on in the mirror. "I don't understand why you felt the need to invite a Rowdyruff. I mean, it's Boomer! Did I miss the memo that said you'd decided to start being friendly with him?"

"Like you're one to talk," she said, watching me through the mirror. "I saw you walking to class with Butch. And I saw him at your locker after school."

Shit, she had seen us? I mean, he was only asking about homework. Not that he intended to do it, but rather, pay someone to. Idiot had been ludicrous enough to ask me to do it. "It was nothing. We'd just gotten out of detention, and he was asking about school work. That's it. We're not friends."

"Bullshit," Bubbles snapped, glaring. "I saw you two laughing. If that's something that's not friends, than apparently I'm not a very friendly person."

Okay, maybe there had been some casual joking. But it's not as if he were that good in my graces that I would ever consider him as more than a Rowdyruff on probation. And that's all he was, on probation as far as I was concerned. He wanted to make things work, be friends, he would have a lot to work on before I allowed that. "We are not friends."

"Whatever." She straightened up and turned half-way, examining the length of her blue and white sundress. Mindlessly, Bubbles played with her makeup, looking for a perfect shade of pink from the hundreds of pink tubes on her dresser. "It's just the movies. If he tries something, I have hundreds of witnesses to watch me kick his ass. Boomer isn't as bad as the other two. If anyone has a problem. It's Blossom. She's the one gallivanting daily with those stupid classes of hers, and stupid clubs, and that even stupider Brick getting closer and closer with each second." Her hands shook as she attempted to open her blush.

I grabbed the thing from her, and opened it. "Tense?"

Her eyes never left the blush, a sullen look now taking form on her face. "I'm scared for Blossom. You're here bugging me about some shit like inviting Boomer, of all people, to a group hang out, when Blossom could be in serious danger from Brick and you don't say shit to her about her clubs. Why not go beg her to drop her them, or switch out of classes?"

The whine in her voice, that crack as if she were ready to cry sent an ache of anguish through me. "Bubs, you know Blossom. She wouldn't listen to me. She would just use it as a perfect chance to find out what his purpose is. It's science to her or some shit like that. She is too stubborn."

She sniffled, chuckling a bit as she wiped away a stray tear. "That she is." Sighing, she shook her head and stood up straight. "Boomer hasn't even said if he's going or not. So your worrying could be for nothing. But if he is, than I'm going to do what I intended, get close. The closer we are to them, the closer we are to finding out what Brick's plans are, and why he's after our sister. And we both know he is up to something."

I could sense there was no reasoning with my sister. No matter how much she denied it, she was a lot more like us than she realized. She had our stubbornness down pat. I rubbed my forehead, feeling a headache coming on. "I guess there's no point in arguing this then, is there? Just... be careful will you? God knows what he would do under the cover of darkness from the movie."

"Hey," she smiled. "Relax. I know how to handle myself. You should remember from when we were kids."

Oh god, did I remember how vicious this kid could be. "Yes, I definitely know. But doesn't mean I worry any less knowing that. Just be careful." I pat her head and strolled out of the room, only to run into another one of my sisters. "Oh gosh, why are you dressed up? Don't tell me you have a date with a Rowdyruff too."

Blossom's gaze shot from fixing the hem of her pleated black miniskirt and stared at me with a deep sense of nervousness. "What?"

Shit, she hadn't been told. "Nevermind! Where are you going?"

"Danielle from Student Government has me doing a double date thing with her. The guy she's going out with has a friend she thinks I'll like. So, hey, might as well. It's been awhile since I've gone out with someone." She shrugged, returning her attention to her outfit, adjusting her pink button down. "I'll be back in two hours. Bubbles will be out late from her whole thing with Robin. So, you have the house to yourself."

"Great, I'll have a party."

Blossom ignored my sarcasm and started for the staircase. "Oh," she whirled around to look at me, so fast I actually jumped back started. "Please, be careful. Now that the Rowdyruff's are next door basically, you're in more danger being alone. You can't take them all on your own, no matter how much you want to. So be careful."

"Thanks, mom." I rolled my eyes. "What time is the Professor coming back?"

"He'll be home late. Not until after midnight. He called twenty minutes ago saying he had a breakthrough on some anti-foot odor thing. So he would be home late."

"Sounds boring."

Blossom nodded, turning to walk downstairs. I followed, only to be trailed by Bubbles as well. "I'm leaving!" she yelled, despite us being right in front of her.

"I'll walk you out Bubbles." As she grabbed her coat, Blossom met my eyes once more. "Buttercup, please be careful."

Dismissively, I waved my hand and turned to walk to the kitchen. "I'm fine, I'm fine. Go have fun. Be normal for once."

"Bye!" the two called as they walked out, leaving me alone in their wake.


Bubbles' POV:

The sound of Robin's voice broke through the haze as I searched the packed parking lot of cars, a deep sense of disappointment overtaking me as I came up empty for what I had been searching for. "Is someone missing?" she asked as she recounted the small group of six surrounding us.

I sighed reluctant to meet her eyes. "No, I guess not."

Almost instantly, her eyes went huge, staring over my shoulder as the edginess grew more evident on her face. "Bubbles…" she whispered. "Rowdyruff at twelve o'clock."

My excitement seemed to spark before I'd actually registered it, but I couldn't help whirling around to see if it was true for myself. Boomer was just walking through the door of the theater lobby. I couldn't help noticing how nice the dark blue denim jacket clung to his torso over the white muscle tee, the white contrasting nicely against the equally dark blue jeans.

"You came!" I said, a little too enthusiastically.

"Wait," Robin interrupted, looking between Boomer and myself as we stared at each other. Though I wasn't paying much attention, from the corner of my eye, it seemed as if she were having a hard time wrapping her mind around what be before her. "I'm sorry, did… you invite him? Are you two friends?"

"Did I miss something here?" Eric from Spanish said, sharing a bewildered look with Robin.

"Well… I think 'friends' is stretching it a bit." I clarified. I hadn't realized until Boomer spoke that I couldn't seem to tear my eyes away from him.

"Stretching it a lot is more like it," he corrected.

"It's more of a peace meeting." We said in sync. He met my eyes, chuckling a bit at the coincidence we'd say the same thing verbatim.

The five other people of the group only watched us as we stood there uncomfortably, unsure what to say, though neither of us could seem to stop smiling. After a moment, the silence had gotten to everyone. "Right," Robin interrupted. "Should we get our snacks before the movie? I only have six tickets, so…" she stared down awkwardly at the tickets in her hand.

"I'll go in line and get-" Boomer said, though I quickly cut him off.

"Don't worry about it." I held an extra ticket up to him, fighting back a smile as his eye brow arched in astonishment. "I got one for you. You know, just in case."

"Great, then let's go!" Robin said, all emotion other than glee gone. "We're in theater ten! And twenty minutes before it starts. So let's get food before all the good seats are gone."

I kept toward the back of the pack, Boomer keeping close to me. "So," he said. "We're seeing…Breaking Dawn Part One?" He couldn't seem to decide if he were disappointed or disturbed as he stared between me and the ticket. "Really?"

I rolled my eyes, smiling. "What? That is the most anticipated movie of the year. I went to the midnight showing for all the other movies, and book premieres."

"Oh gosh, a fangirl. I would end up being the counterpart to a fangirl for faggot vampires."

As if by reflex, I gasped dramatically, narrow eyed with distaste. "They are not. Sparkly vampires are amazing."

"You really are a strange girl," he said as he hung his head, shaking it doubtfully. "I am in for one interesting night."

"You'll have fun, I promise." I grabbed him by the sleeve of his jacket and pulled him along, taking in the sound of his laughter as we caught up to the group.


Boomer:

In all my life, I have never seen these stupid vampire movies. Nor read the books they're based off. I'd never liked them. But, something in this movie sparked my interest. There wasn't any graphics to speak of, unless you count a sick mutant vampire offspring snapping the girl's spine and eating its way out. Hell, even I found that a bit sick. I had to say though, this movie wasn't all that bad.

Suddenly, soft sobbing caught my attention. And, like a dog, my ears went back as I tried to pinpoint the sound. I glanced down at Bubbles, who was dabbing the side of her eye with a tissue.

I got close, whispering, "Are you crying?"

To my surprise, she violently smacked my arm and shushed me. "Shhhh! This is the biggest part of the movie!" she said in hushed yells. And as if the screen had heard her, it suddenly was nothing but a thick, ominous black screen, the credits started coming up. "NO! What? They won't even show us Edward's reaction to her being really alive!"

"I thought you read the book," Eric's girlfriend Camille said. It surprised me that I'd so easily learned their names.

"Yeah, like fifty times," Eric added beside her, passing his sniffling girlfriend a handkerchief.

Fifty times? "Dayum," I muttered to myself, watching as Bubbles fixed her makeup in the little compact mirror cradled in her hands.

She shrieked, startling everyone within a twenty seat radius. "¡Cállate!" she yelled, yelling what I could only assume was curse words at us in Spanish as she watched the final little clip at the end. I won't lie . . . I was a tad frightened by the viciousness of this girl, especially in times like these. When it was over, Bubbles dabbed her eye from tears of excitement and said, "That was amazing!" She slumped back into her seat, sighing contently.

"It's almost nine thirty. Shall we go out to eat? Or call it a night?"

As she started to toss everything back into her purse, Bubbles smiled at her friend Robin and said, "Actually, I think we should call it a night. Or I will at least. I've got a huge AP U.S. II test tomorrow. So I've got to study." Shit, I'd forgotten about that test. Oh well, I'd just be cheating on the brainiac brunette beside me during the test anyway. The sound of Bubbles' voice broke through my distant thought. "If you want to stay Boomer then by all means, have fun."

A chance to leave early? I'm in! "No! I'll call it a night as well."

I stood from my seat and led the group to the door of the lobby, watching every one of the group step out single file, jabbering on about the movie.

"Bubbles, want me to give you a ride home?"

"Thanks Robin, but I can fly. It's nothing but a two minute flight."

My mouth seemed to be working against me that night. "I can drive you home, if you want." Why the hell had I just said that? I wasn't supposed to even be talking to the Powerpuff Girls, let alone seeing movies with them and giving them rides. "I mean, we live on the same block, so I wouldn't mind letting you hitch a ride."

My offer seemed to have startled her as much as it had caught me off guard. "Really? Uh, sure. Thanks, Boomer." She met Robin's puzzled eyes and smiled. "I'll see you in school tomorrow guys."

Silently, she followed behind me. Maybe it was my paranoid, lethal hunter state, but I could sense the fact Bubbles had been watching me apprehensively from the corner of her eye. Being a master of stealth, seeming at ease to conceal my true intentions or emotion had been all too easy for me. As far as she could see, I was calm and uncaring.

"So…" she fidgeted awkwardly beside me as we strolled silently into the darkness of the theater parking lot. "Where do your brothers think you are? I highly doubt you were honest and told them a Powerpuff Girl invited you to a group movie party."

As if I were no longer in control of my body, I laughed, and lost all of the uncaring façade I has moments ago. "They think I'm out with some girl from my AP Psyche. class."

She contemplated that as we walked, seeming amused by that explanation. "Interesting justification. Your brothers would accept that as an excu-" and she suddenly went silent.

I hadn't realized Bubbles had stopped walking until I was suddenly standing alone, no bobbing blond pigtails in my peripheral vision. "Bubbles?" I said, turning around to see where she'd gone. She was standing next to a sleek electric blue Maserati GranTurismo. My car. Had I passed it already? I hadn't even realized. My eyes wandered between the car and Bubbles. "Like it? You a grease monkey?"

She laughed. "Oh, gosh no. That's Buttercup's forte. It's a beautiful car though. I love the color and sleek style. I do appreciate a hot car, not that I know the mechanics of them."

Silently, she watched as I hit the remote, the doors clicking as they unlocked. "You getting in?" I asked, my leg half in the car.

"This is your car?"

"Uh… do I have to drive off before you realize that?"

Bubbles smiled, a faint pinkish tint going to her milky white cheeks that I could see even in the darkness. "Right, sorry." A soft giggle escaped her lips as she slid into the passenger seat.

Even I had to admit, sitting in the darkness with Bubbles was more than a tad awkward. Maybe it was knowing who we were, she a Powerpuff and myself a Rowdyruff, or maybe it was the fact it was just the two of us in a small car alone was the problem. Who knows, but that night, hundreds of things ran through my head. Attack maneuvers, questions, every possible worry even. Mostly the fact that I was an idiot for having offered the ride in the first place. With my luck, Brick would be settled outside, working with Butch on his car, or reading, or even just to take out the garbage.

"So…" she started, shifting uneasily in her seat. "How did you get this car? I remember Buttercup saying once a car like this, one she loved, was almost a hundred and twenty thousand. I highly doubt that you are bringing in enough income to afford a beautiful car like this. Let alone a house between the three of you boys."

"Our cars were gifts," I said simply. That wasn't a lie, but I didn't need her to hit me with that sonic smack of hers because it was a "gift" from Him.

"Gift from who?"

"Someone we worked for." And I sure as hell wasn't working for that sick transvestite anymore, despite what Brick thinks.

"Do you even have a job?"

"No."

"Any form of income at all?" she pressed, though from her tone, I don't think she realized she'd been insisting with dozens of inquiries.

I couldn't help but laugh. "What is this, twenty questions?"

Bubbles silenced in the darkness, her mouth agape for a moment before it shut with a slight pop. "Sorry, I was just curious."

Riiight…that's what it was. "Fine then," I said, calmly. "You've asked your share of questions, I get one at least."

Even without having to look at her, I could sense she tensed in apprehension. "I suppose that's fair. What is it?"

I turned and stared at her. My advanced sight helped me see the blonde settled beside me. Despite the blue eye shadow and pale pink lipstick, she still mirrored the child I'd fought for years before we left. Same soft blonde pig-tails, same intriguing pale blue eyes. They no longer were disproportional to the rest of her, as were all of our features as children, though she still had big eyes. Not in a peculiar way, in an…adorable way.

She watched me, waiting, before it finally registered that I'd been in fact "staring" at her. She shifted again. That's when it finally made sense to me what I'd been doing. Instantly, I stared straight, eyes never leaving the road in front of me.

"So what's your question?" she pressed.

What was my question? I'd completely forgotten! "How about I save mine for a later time?"

Bubbles' evident interest in what I had to say amused me as she contemplated that request. "Very well."

Her hand went to the back of her neck, a very unmistakable hesitation in her posture. I didn't easily miss it. "What is it?" I asked, not demandingly or viciously, simply curiously. "It's nothing. It's a stupid question. You wouldn't answer it anyway, even if I had asked."

"Try me."

From my peripherals, I could see her watching me as she considered the possible reactions, or so I assumed. I'd learned to not think of this girl as predictable about the time she dressed up as me to capture my brothers when we were kids. That was certainly something I never expected her to do, as well as eating that cockroach I'd been told about while she was undercover. Yeah . . . a man never forgets when he's standing a tighty-whities in front of two girls. Thank goodness I'd been too young to understand the repercussions of having that happen.

Bubbles shifted awkwardly some more, playing mindlessly with the white nail polish on her fingernails. "Why did you and your brothers leave when you were ten? Where did you go for those seven years?"

Should have seen that coming. I laughed, giving her a look that just screamed "as if I'd tell you!" "Nice try, you're not so lucky you'd get that information."

"I thought so."

She watched me for a short moment, this absolutely lost puppy dog look on her childlike features. She was virtually begging me with those big blue eyes to tell her, even if she hadn't realized she was doing it. I was practically compelled to tell her, though, I couldn't understand why. What was wrong with me? Why couldn't I stop wanting to be friendly, or honest with her. Goddammit! This all started this afternoon when she started being nice. Why did she have to be so nice?

Sighing, I said, "We . . ." she watched me, stunned to see me answer her question in the least. "We honestly never went far, maybe a few hundred miles in either direction of Townsville. Brick felt it was best to stay close, keep an eye on you three. He wanted to be sure you hadn't discovered where we were, picked up on our trail."

"What would we have found that you felt the need to keep track of our search for you?"

I laughed again, amused by her thinking she would be able to coax all that information out of me so easily. Though, to be honest, I was starting to worry her and her damn sisters were going to be able to do that eventually. Their "charm" I suppose you could say, was a lot stronger than we'd anticipated.

"Nice try, now that you're not getting out of me. No sex appeal you use will be able to get me to spill my guts that easily."

Her eye brow rose in a bewilderment that was just a little too adorable to ignore. "My what?"

"Oh please, as if you and your sisters don't realize that whole sex appeal shit doesn't work. It's got Butch around Buttercup's little fingers."

"You noticed that as well? The two are all over each other lately, at least compared to their reaction to each other back when you first got here." She drabbled as we approached the driveway of her house. I was thrilled to see there had been no sign of Brick outside my window. Thank god, my ass is safe. "Thanks for the ride. I assume you want me to keep my involvement a secret from your brothers?"

"Sisters would be nice as-" I stopped short when she bit her lip, this glint of guilt in her eyes. "Right, you probably already told them, correct?"

She smiled apologetically. "Sorry. I'll tell them not to tell your brothers."

Wow, I hadn't thought she'd do that. "Thanks, I would like to live to see junior prom." She grabbed her purse from the floor, hesitating, her movements slow. Had she been expecting a thank you? I suppose that wouldn't be too unexpected. "Um… Thanks, I guess. For inviting me tonight. Yeah, it would seem that despite having been asked out repeatedly, no one seems to want to actually 'hang out'. It was nice to get out of the house, even if it was to see Breaking Dawn."

She laughed, hanging her head as she smiled. "Well, thank you for actually coming. I didn't think you would. And…thanks for that little tidbit of information, about you and your brothers. Your secret's safe with me."

Again with the unpredictability. I would have expected to see her run for her sisters, reiterating every word I said for them, down to the last detail. Apparently I didn't know my counterpart as well as I once had. "Thanks. … Goodnight, Bubbles."

She smiled, seeming pleased by my civility. "Goodnight, Boomer."

I watched as she silently strolled inside before I drove down the street and pulled into my own driveway. Thank god Brick hadn't seen where I came from. I swiftly made my way into the house, only to be scared shitless when the door swung open casually, a suspicious Brick looking almost as startled. "Boomer, you're back. Good. Where did you go?"

"A movie with a girl from class," I said simply, careful to not let my eyes dart right toward the Powerpuff house.

"Oh," he said, eye brows risen in surprise. "Call me crazy, but, did I just see you in front of the Powerpuff Girl's house?"

"He was busy scoping out Butterbitch to see if she was into me yet or not," Butch called from the couch, the sound of gunfire and electronic screams coming from the PlayStation he was distracted playing.

Brick rolled his eyes, unaware as far as I could tell, that he was still blocking the door from my entering. "Are you still on that 'Buttercup falling for you' shit? When are you going to learn that is the dumbest fucking mistake you could make?"

"The day she gets into bed with me," Butch joked, a faint hesitation in his voice as he started contemplating the idea of being in bed with Buttercup, as Butch always did about women. "Dude, that is going to be such a nice experience." I watched as Brick walked over to Butch, smacking him hard on the back of the head. "Ow! What the hell was that for?"

"You're a fucking pig, Butch, you know that?"

"Like you aren't thinkin' the same shit about Blossom…" he dropped the controller, covering his head with his arms as he registered what he'd said. "Sorry! Sorry! I didn't mean that!"

Brick lowered his ready hand, watching Butch slowly relax. I couldn't help laughing as he smacked Butch one last time. "So," he turned his suspicious gaze back on me, a heavy pressure falling upon me as he appraised me. "Were you over there?"

"Brick, why in hell would I be over there? I avoid the Powerpuffs as best I can, just as you warned us to. I'm not as stupid as Butch." I tried to keep my composure, ignoring the dark glare from Butch.

"Riight . . . well, I have some homework, so I'll be upstairs. Have fun on your date with . . . whoever it was?"

Ignoring the fact Brick was actually being polite enough to ask of how it went, I fought to find the right wording that wouldn't be too untrue. "It wasn't a date per se, but, surprisingly, I did."

Brick seemed to hesitate as he contemplated my words, eyes narrowed with a suspicion about what I don't know. But I didn't expect a backhand anytime soon. "Good, well, glad to hear it," he said, before silently walking upstairs to his room.

My heart beat slowed as the anxiety of Brick discovering what I'd been lying of slowly diminished. Dodged that bullet, thankfully. I slipped out of my denim jacket and threw myself onto the couch beside Butch.

"You owe me big time, asshole," he said, returning to his game.

"Ha! For what?"

"Don't play dumb. I know it's hard for you not to be, but I on the other hand, am not." Bullshit, I thought to myself as I threw myself onto the couch, my leg resting over the side of the armrest. "Don't think I didn't hear about your going out with Bubbles tonight. You're forgetting we have super hearing. I heard the Girls discussing it. I'm surprised Brick didn't know."

"Shit." Brick probably did know, why else would he be insisting on questioning my whereabouts? "It's not like I went out to dinner with her, it was a group movie thing. She invited me. And it was better than sitting around watching you play PlayStation and scratch your ass all night."

Without taking his eyes off the television, Butch smacked the back of his hand in the dead center of my face. "Shut the fuck up, dumbass. I could still go and tell Brick about what you did."

"I'm not friends with her, it was one night. If anything, you would be in trouble, Mr. Buttercup's Bitch. Bubbles and I see that you're friends."

He paused the game, turning to glare at me. "We aren't friends . . . yet. The bitch is a tougher nut to crack than I thought she'd be."

"That or you're just that big a pansy."

I managed to dodge the incoming backhand. The fact practically set the fire in his head, and I half expected steam to come out of his ears. "Loser," he muttered, returning to his paused game.

"Pansy," I muttered in return, quickly bolting from the living room.

I floated down the hall, careful not to bring attention back to me from Brick. Then I caught sight that door of his room was ajar, and I couldn't resist poking my head in. He sat silently at his desk, back to me. His headphones were blasting some sort of classical music, so I thought it was safe to say he hadn't heard the conversation between Butch and me moments ago. Thank heavens.

Quickly, I dashed for my room, closing the door behind me and collapsing onto the bed. To my great surprise, I couldn't get the image of Bubbles' childlike eyes, those big blue eyes, cradled perfectly on that angelic milky face, out of my head.

I smacked myself, sitting up as I forcefully rubbed the image from my mind. "Come on, Boom. What are you doin'? You don't get the hots for Powerpuff Girls."

Especially when they're likely to ruin your year by telling their sisters about your past, no matter how small the info tidbit had been. Suddenly, Butch's comment ran through my head. "Don't think I didn't hear about your going out with Bubbles tonight. You're forgetting we have super hearing. I heard the Girls discussing it." Hmm, so he had listened in on their conversation from all the way over here? Hell, it couldn't hurt right? It wasn't as if they would find out. And my ass was on the line, so it was necessary.

I focused on the sound I was getting to know all too well, the sound of that chipper, childlike voice that belonged to my counterpart.

"Where were you? It's been hours!" Buttercup ranted as I took notice of the shuffle of fabric, possibly her changing or Bubbles changing. I fought back the mental images and focused on the conversation at hand.

"It's a movie, I don't decide when it ends. Relax, Buttercup."

"Relax my ass. How am I supposed to relax when you're out gallivanting at night, with a Rowdyruff of all things!"

Well, it was nice to see I was taken seriously enough for Buttercup to be irritated, or nervous, about my being along for the ride. I couldn't help feeling quite complimented by the thought.

"Boomer wouldn't hurt me, not in public at least. He's too chill for that anymore."

"'Not in public'? Are you shittin' me? He and his dumbass brothers attacked up in front of the whole city for years! How can you be so calm about it?"

I found myself a bit tense, or rather, eager to see what Bubbles would say. Especially as I registered the evident hesitation. "Because unlike you, I trust him, and I'm willing to try making peace. You're doing the same thing with Butch. Don't think we don't notice you and him are starting to be friends."

Buttercup growled, and it was eerie to hear how much she sounded like Butch. "Goddammit! We are not friends! We're just being friendly, nice to each other, to avoid another detention. Blossom would kill me if I were ever friends with a Rowdyruff boy. As would she with you."

"Huh," I muttered. "Nice to see that Brick's not the only hardass around here."

"That's very true. But unlike you and Butch, Boomer and I don't have this intense sexual tension between the two of us, so we won't be at risk of randomly throwing each other over our desks. Not like you two. Don't think we don't see that too."

I laughed out loud, my sides practically hurting as Buttercup pitched a bitch, muttering curse word after curse word. "You- I- We…" she stuttered before grumbling and, from what I could guess, stomping out of the room.

I zoned out at that moment. Bubbles had kept her word for now, mentioned nothing of what I had told her. It was very…noble of her, I guess you could say. Shocking as hell to me. But hey, at least my ass was safe for tonight. I'd deal with tomorrow later on.