Chapter 2. Round two
Part 4.
Blossom's P.O.V
«Bubbles, catch!» I yell at my blonde sister. She's on her back, hands covering her face. Is she hurt? I'm about to swoop down to save the kid in free fall, when I see him tucked safely in her arms. I take a deep breath in relief. The reason I had given the child away was because I wasn't capable of holding on to him any more nor keep him safe.
«It's just a child, you sadistic bastard!» I bark at my counterpart as he grab my broken arm and squeeze. He'd been aiming for it, knowing fully well I will shield it to my best extent. It had resulted in an broken left arm and quite the nasty wound to my right leg, tearing the white stocking. It feels like it's on fire, burning hot and wet.
«Like I care,» he hiss, grinding his grip. Screaming out in pain, I thug at the captivated limb to get free, spitting and barking insults at the pain. Brick ridicule my vain attempt at the snorting laugh.
«Let go,» I bark.
«No,» Brick pulls me closer. «How does it feel being useless? To be unable to save the world? Not so perfect now, are you?» There's something bitter inside his voice, something hateful and dark. Something I haven't heard before. Hate had always been a strong motive for his actions, but this felt too close to desperate. I don't understand.
«What are you talking about?» I growl. The bone is sticking out from the front of the arm, twisting the rest in an awkward angle. Using it is beyond reason, and I'm just glad I have rolled up the sleeves of the dark cotton shirt to prevent it from staining. Blood is a pain to remove from clothes.
«You always have to dress perfectly, appear perfectly, do things like a hero, speak with such elegance. Sitting up on your high horse, how's the world down here with the rest of us, bitch? How does it feel to be powerless?» He pull me closer by the waist, crimson eyes cold and cruel. I flinch from the increasing pressure on the broken bone.
«Brick, you're insufferable,» I push with my free hand, trying to create some distance between us. His smell can only be described as warm and hot, maybe a hint of pepper.
«Sorry,» the crimson eyes spark with a hint of mischievous, but the kindness and calm behind them is contagious. I feel my heartbeat pulsate painfully throughout my veins, mouth dry and clench my jaw. My mind is playing tricks on me. Even if it was something so little, something so meaningless, I keep dreaming about it. For the last two weeks, it's bothering my concentration with homework, it haunts my dreams, it's stuck on my minds eye, and no amount of anything can prevent the skip of a beat I feel every time.
«You're unbearable, wicked, cruel and you have no idea,» I whisper. All I want is to see the same side of him, the one moment he had given me. It probably doesn't mean anything to him, he probably doesn't even remember it happening, but it was burned within my soul.
Every logical part of my brain is screaming at my stupidity. How he's not like that, how he's a criminal, born for great chaos and that's who he truly is; but a part of me is clinging to desperate hope for the other side of him. I want to see it again.
«Don't flatter yourself. I'm the bad guy,» he grins at my horrid face, eyes slightly widened and I feel my lips part. There is a twist in my heart, one that brings tears to my eyes, hurt the pit of my stomach and I fight harder to get free. I have to get away from him. I need to put some distance between us. I need space to breathe.
«What's with the panic attack? Is the pain too much to bear?» He suddenly pulls at the arm, throwing me down. I scream as I collide with the hard roof. It caves in with protest. A faint layer of dust twirls around me. Wouldn't it be easier to give up? I think.
It wasn't like they would ever stop harassing the city, and it wasn't like we could beat them. The only thing we did, was meet up and entertain their twisted amusement before running off like cowards with tails between our legs. I kick the broken building with my heel in protest. No, we can't just give up. Without us, they would kill people left and right. They won't ever stop unless someone beats them, and the only one who can, is us.
A sharp kick to my ribs have me roll on the side, gasping for air. I feel the dent on the side, probably broken. Chuckling uncontrollably, I feel him roll me over to my back again and mount my stomach. Hands wrap around my throat.
«What's so damn funny? You're about to die, and nobody is going to save you.» His face is twisted with anger and confusion. I see the worn, all too familiar cap, visor turned to the backside of his head. The bangs stick out uncontrollably, hair tangled around his stern frame.
«Doesn't it get in the way?» I puff through the tight grip, hands moving to help me. I find the lack of strength almost embarrassing, and let them rest on top of his. They're warm, like a blanket.
«What?» he looks taken aback. Surely, I would be too in his position. Back dots dances in front of my vision. His fingers feel stiff and intense.
«Your hair. I always tie mine up, but you're so persistent in tugging the ribbon off all the time.» His grip has loosened, but is still resting wrapped around my neck. No matter how you look at it, it's my loss. Brick shakes his head in confusion, as if I'm speaking in tongues.
«Too many blows to the head,» I explain with a large smile. It is getting hard to keep my eyes open. The only injury he has suffered this time is a couple bruises and a busted lip from a pretty impressive roundhouse kick. Even with a child in my arms, I had managed to do some damage. That's at least to some sort of comfort.
«You're just giving up, like this?» Brick scoffs. He sounds insulted.
«Yeah,» I glance at the blue sky instead. It's advancing to darker shades, night time approaching dangerously fast. Autumn have these kind of effects on the day. I wonder if this is it. The scenery is quite to my liking; I don't mind dying at this moment. At the hands of someone I can't help liking. My side torment my viscera under the crazy laugh.
Who would have known that he only needed to look at me that way for me to fall for him? The playboy which takes every chance he gets to beat the crap out of me, hates me with every fiber of his being and I'm hopelessly in love with him. Every time I see him, every time I hear him, it gets worse. I'm suppose to be the level headed out of us, yet I'm acting like such a fool at this moment.
«Do you want to die that much?» He lashes out on the roof beside my head, knuckle red, dripping crumbles. The other hand is still wrapped around my throat, but the grip is loose. He's barely touching the sore skin.
«No,» I feel my lips pulling down with a tremble. «I don't want to die. I want to go to high school. I want to study, go to a college, get a degree in something I like, go to work. I want to fall in love, see my sisters live.» My orbs flicker back to his face. I have fallen in love, but I wish it was someone else.
«You're the villain and I have an obligation to this city. With great powers comes great responsibility.»
«Winston Churchill,» Brick mutters.
«You read,» I smile. Of course he does. He's my counterpart. Whatever I enjoy, surely he must have some attraction toward it. Something flickers behind his eyes, and he removes himself from on top of me. I suck in a deep breath of fresh air. It's burning my insides, I feel the sharp pricking pain from my wounds return. Huffing hard, I'm having problems staying awake.
«I'm bored of playing with you so I'm going home for the day.» He turns his back to me and pauses for a second. I haul myself up with a grunt. Every part of my body is aching. The chemical-x is surely almost out of my system soon.
«Sorry,» his hand is gentle yet strong, his eyes are deep with a soft smile. I'm tormenting myself. His word echoes inside my head, his warm hands linger on my skin, the intense gaze makes me flustered and wiggly. I bite the bottom of my lip. You're cruel, I want to tell him.
«Yeah,» is all I can say as I stumble over my steps, trying my best to stand up.
«Well, then,» he moves swiftly. I feel the pain before I can react, I see the movement but can't stop him. The kick connects with my face, and I'm back on the ground. This time the world has gone dark. I grunt from the numbing pain. «Revenge for last time.» I feel his loss of presence as the cold air wraps itself around me.