First off I'm sorry for the long wait, but it's painfully hard for me to write. Just the last part took me almost two weeks to write. Anyway, hopefully the last part makes up for the long wait. Hopefully. I'm not experienced in writing that sort of stuff, plus originally I had planned for this to happen later in the story, but since people were asking and I have already made you wait for so long, I caved.
"Hide before she sees you."
The blue ruff stared at her like she had not just asked him that. Is he now a secret boyfriend or something?
Blossom was frantically motioning with her head and arms for him to hide already, but before he could make a choice Bubbles had already opened the door.
Fortunately Boomer was standing closest to it and the door opened inwards, so he just took a step back to hide behind the door. Stupid, but oddly it seemed to work, since the puff never actually entered the room.
The blonde girl examined her sister from the threshold, not understanding why her leader was making such a fuss when she was all ready for school already. "Blossom? Is everything alright? It's not like you to deliberately hold us up. Buttercup, yes, but not you." Genuine concern crossed her face.
The pink puff sheepishly laughed and rubbed her upper arm, trying not to stare at Boomer to give away his position or her sister for that matter. She didn't want to see her worried face, it always made her spill her guts to her sister. She was lucky enough that Bubbles decided to give her personal space. "I just forgot to do my math homework last night." She gave a forced smile and picked up a random paper from her table to show her some proof. Funny thing that she wasn't really lying.
Bubbles skeptically observed the piece of paper and sighed. "Well, okay. Still it's weird," she mumbled and closed the door behind her with a click.
Blossom exhaled loudly after the door was closed and dropped the paper. It has always been hard to hide things from her sisters, especially Bubbles. But really why was she even hiding this criminal? If anything now is the chance to capture him and interrogate him for information or restrain his powers. Blossom knew that lately the Professor had been working on a mixture that might just do that. Antidote X was an expensive resource and it is potentially dangerous in it's clean state. Plus if they have an alternative they can keep a control of the boys' powers and maybe talk to them to change their minds. It was Bubbles' idea, which seemed ridiculous at first, but the more she thouht about it the more sense it made. Extra fire power to protect the city would always come in handy. Still a small voice at the back of her head kept telling her that it's a lost cause.
"That was interesting."
The puff snapped out of her short musings to stare at the blonde ruff. "What was so interesting about it? Don't tell me that you like to watch me squirm just like Brick?"
"You didn't really notice it?" The ruff walked up to her curtain drawn window, paying no heed to her skeptical gaze.
"Notice what?" This was starting to get frustrating. She was in no mood to play mind games now. There were other pressing matters at hand.
The blonde ruff opened the curtains without giving a response. The warm morning sun illuminated the dim room. The puff shielded her eyes for a moment from the brightness. When her eyes got used to the light she could finally take a good look at the suburbs.
"What...?"
The suburban houses stood as they have always stood, nothing was amiss, people were happily going about their daily lives. She stepped closer to the window and turned her head to look at the city, and it was the same situation. The apocalypse that had just plagued them yesterday was gone, like it never happened.
"Crazy, huh? Never would have known that it would work like this..." The blue ruff seemed to get lost in thought. This caught Blossom's interest.
"What would work?"
Boomer quickly shook his head and dismissed her question. "Nothing, nothing. I better get going..." The blonde opened her window and had already his foot on the window sill when Blossom grabbed him by the hem of his hoodie. It startled and stopped the ruff in his tracks.
"You 'ain't going anywhere now. You obviously have information that I don't have." She tried to pull him back into her room, but the ruff wouldn't budge. There's no way she's giving up this easily. She finally has a chance to get the information that she desperately needs. The green ruff didn't want to cooperate - fine, then she'll make Boomer do it. Before he could slip out of her grasp she slung her arms around his waist.
"Whoa! Blossom." The bold move surprised the ruff, he almost fell back from the force - she was pulling so hard on him. "I'm sorry, Blossom, but I can't stay." He effortlessly pried her hands off off him. The puff tumbled back. Boomer gave a small wave and set into the sky.
"Dammit!" The pink puff slammed her hand on the carpeted floor and moved her hair out of her face. How could she let him get away so easily? Is she really this weak? This might have been her only chance to finally find out the truth that the Rowdyruffs are hiding.
Blossom was about to chase after the blue ruff when Buttercup's voice stopped her.
"Blossom! Are you ready? It's time to go to school." Shoot! She had school today. How could she forget about it so quickly? From the sounds coming from downstairs the pink puff could tell that both of her sisters were already ready for school and they both were waiting for her. And she hasn't even showered, changed her clothes or done her homework.
Illegible words left her mouth. Such a horrible start to her day. She quickly grabbed her school bag from the table, closed the window and zipped downstairs to meet up with her sisters.
She was a mess no doubt, but there is no way she's missing a day of school when there's final exams coming up. She'll just try to fix herself on the way there.
It was so warm and cozy. Almost like his bed. Though there were a few bumps in this bed that gave him a cramp in his leg and a few more that were poking him in the back, but that didn't affect his comfort much. The birds were chirping and the warm wind was blowing. It was so serene. He hasn't slept like this in ages.
Wait a minute...
Birds...wind...
Butch snapped his eyes open only to be met with huge brown eyes staring back at him. He by instinct flinched back. Wrong move. His head started spinning like a roller-coaster and his stomach did a flip.
The owner of the brown eyes, a small boy with mud on his cheeks and hands, poked him with a stick on his cheek and giggled in amusement.
"Ow! You fucking brat." He swiped the branch out of the boys small hand and snapped it in half. "Watch where you poke with that damn thing."
The small boy got startled by the ruffs swift movements and crude language, and took a quick step back. He looked at his swelling, muddy fingers, which hurt from the force the ruff pulled the branch out of his hands. Big tears were threatening to spill from his eyes.
"You meanie!" The little boy shrieked and ran away back to the playground with tears staining his cheeks.
The green ruff paid him no more heed. His head was throbbing and the discomfort of his position slowly started to set in. Where was he anyway? The last thing he remembers is flying away from Princess. Before that he got battered by the crazy Buttercup.
He sat up, cradling his head and trying not to spill the contents of his stomach all over. This is worse than a hangover. He moved some of the leaves and branches away from his face. The bright morning sun nearly blinded him.
"Fuck. Where am I?"
Once his eyes partially got used to the sun, he got a better look of his surroundings. During his haste back he had run out of energy and had fallen in the bushes near the park. Thankfully Mojo's volcano wasn't that far off. Still he felt like a drunk hobo.
Staggering he made his way back to the laboratory. He knew that the way up will be beyond exhausting, but it's going to be better than anything Brick will do to him once he steps over the threshold. Brick probably is fuming by now. Not only did he not come back in time, he also has nothing to report, and he broke his dohickey.
Once he had made the long way up, he stopped right before opening the door. The ruff wanted nothing more than to simply fall in his bed and sleep, but the dread that Brick might lecture him before that made him uneasy. Maybe he could pretend to be sleepwalking or that he has lost his hearing?
Still he opened the door and prepared himself for an earful of yells. Imagine his surprise when he was met with an empty room.
The ruff boldly took a step into the lab, waiting for some kind of surprise attack hit him. You never know what his leader could have set up for him, he was just that crazy sometimes.
When nothing happened he exhaled the breath he had been holding. Maybe he should consider living somewhere alone. Returning back home shouldn't be this stressful, it should be an elevating feeling that makes you feel like you're on cloud nine. He hasn't been too found of Brick's plans either, and the thought of fighting the Powerpuff girls didn't appeal that much to him either. Maybe he should get himself an apartment in the city and finally start living a normal life.
Butch was thinking so hard that he didn't see where he was going and rand into the sofa.
"Damnit." He should stop thinking about dumb things and finally go to bed.
"I can't believe that I failed my algebra test," the pink puff muttered under her breath and squeezed the shoulder strap of her bag in irritation. Apparently the math homework that she didn't have time to do was a part of the test she had today. And she didn't even know that she had a test. The weekend had been so hectic that she didn't have time to think about school at all.
She was so angry at herself that she had decided to walk back home...through the city. The longer it will take her to get home the better. She really needs some fresh air.
While walking through the city she stopped at a smoothie shop and bought herself a strawberry smoothie to try and ease her headache.
Her school work has been suffering a lot lately. She's been so stressed with protecting the city, well, actually trying to find out what the Rowdyruff Boys are up to. Plus she had the sinking feeling that someone else might be on it as well. There's no way that those guys managed to do so much damage alone in just under a week and then clean it all up. Someone is helping them and it obviously isn't Mojo.
But who could it be?
Blossom didn't see the Rowdyruffs as guys that would like to work with different people. They usually just caused havoc by themselves, rarely getting help from Mojo in destroying them.
Unless the Rowdyruffs aren't working with anyone and there is an another separate villain in Townsville trying to cause destruction. But that wouldn't explain her frequent run-ins with the guys. They usually just kept a low profile, suddenly appearing from time to time to pull a prank or cause mayhem, so their frequent activity around the city must mean that they are up to something. She just can't figure out if the sudden, almost magical, plagues hitting the city are their doing.
The puff took a sip from her smoothie. All this thinking didn't help ease her headache. She needs to relax, watch where she is going and maybe take a walk trough the park.
On her way there she examined some of the shops she passed by. She remembered the dress she had eyed that day when she went grocery shopping. It had been perfect. Final exams were next week and she didn't have anything formal to wear. Of course she isn't going to need a dress if she can't fix her current performance in school.
"After this I'm hitting the books. If we get a call from the Mayor I'll let Bubbles and Buttercup handle it." She'll do anything now to get back her perfect record. A bad grade wouldn't look great on her university application.
The puff took a deep sigh. She halted for a moment in the middle of the street to rub her temples.
She hasn't felt this stressed since their last encounter with Him.
For now Blossom decided to just stop thinking about it all and keep going her merry way. When she entered the park she felt a pair of eyes watching her. The first few minutes she just thought that she's imagining things, but when the unpleasant feeling wouldn't leave her she finally swiveled on her heel to see exactly what is going on.
Blossom rolled her eyes. She should have known. With how much lately she has had encounters with him it's no surprise that he has showed up to torment her again.
"What do you want, Butch?"
She grimaced when he smirked unabashedly back at her. He didn't even try to deny that he had been following her ever since she entered the park.
"Nothing much. It's just that I realized something recently. It's been bugging me. I couldn't even get enough sleep." He ruffled his hair, adding the last part quietly. The smirk was gone, it was replaced with a frown now. He looked tired, sunken and beat up now that the she looked closely.
This piqued Blossom's interest. She didn't see the ruff as a guy who would lose sleep over anything. Moreover, what could be so important that he would search her out in such a sad state? And why her of all people?
"Go on..."
She was afraid to hear what he was about to say next, honestly. Whatever it was wasn't good, especially if it's coming from a Rowdyruff. And she wasn't sure if she really wants to hear it either. She has already enough things on her plate as it is, but curiosity got the best of her.
"How should I put this simply?" The ruff took a step towards her, stopping right before her.
Blossom took a step back. She didn't like looking up at him at all and his disregard for her personal space bothered her.
He shortened their distance and took her smoothie from her.
This move from him perplexed her. She was about to inquire his actions when he fully closed their distance and kissed her. He took her by surprise. Her mouth had been open and he had gotten full access.
The puff had been too astonished to do anything at first, but after a moment she attempted to copy his movements. It made her feel all tingly all over her body. She had no idea what he was doing to her. Her thoughts were in a jumble, she was simply following her instincts.
The green ruff angled her head with his other arm to change their position.
The pink puff moaned in bliss when he bit on her bottom lip. All her rational thought was lost. She reveled in his taste, in his touch. She had been so tense that the ecstatic feelings she were experiencing now were a satisfying change.
Somewhere deep in her minds she knew that this wasn't right at all and that she was making out with the enemy in a public place. She just couldn't find the power in herself to care or stop for that matter. Something is definitely wrong with her.
When he pulled back from her she had a blazing blush on her face and she was panting like she had just run a marathon.
He eyed her discreetly, his hand falling from the grip on her head and landing on her shoulder, his thumb slightly touching her exposed neck.
She blushed even more harder when she realized that he can probably now feel how fast her heart is beating. She was so embarrassed.
"Well...that was different..." He took a sip from her smoothie and retrieved his hand. "Strawberry? That explains the taste."
Blossom bit her lower lip and took a step back from him. How could be so calm about his? He only looked slightly flustered, while she felt like a mess. Her thoughts were in utter turmoil. He had done it so easily, she was shocked and amazed at the same time.
"What have I done?" She took another shaky step back from him and closed her eyes, trying to get the image of him out of her mind. She balled her fists and shook her head. She couldn't forget the feeling of his lips on hers and the incredible things he did with his tongue.
She re-opened her eyes to see him gazing at her. He was scrutinizing her, taking in her flustered face.
He grinned at his work and how he had managed to affect her. He took that as a good sign.
"I didn't expect you to be so responsive. And by the way, this is a great smoothie." He held up her cup. He gazed at her for a while more before speaking up again. "I'll see you later, Blossom." With that he turned around and made his way back to the volcano, while finishing up her smoothie.
The puff stared at his retreating back, for the first time admiring his form, albeit a little slumped from exhaustion he still managed to stand tall and go back as if nothing had happened.
Blossom shook her head. "What am I doing? I need to get back home." And away from the stares of people. Her PDA with the Rowdyruff hadn't gone unnoticed. It had caught the stare of some civilians.
She was ashamed of herself, yet she was happy.
