A/N: And a very merry Christmas, happy holidays to you all my lovelies- the countdown has begun and did I finish anything I was supposed to today? Haha nope! Did I finish an Xmas oneshots? Of course, of course I did. Oh well, it's time we make a return to the Cody's verse me thinks and see how that little munchkin is doing along with his forever frazzled parents xD
Tis' the season! :D enjoy my lovelies!
-o-o-o-
"Penguin"
-o-o-o-
"SLEIGH RIDE!" The cheer echoed through the car- out of key but what could anyone expect from a five year old seriously- and the endless holiday mix continued from the car's speakers.
It was a typical pre holiday rush traffic jam, and God only knew how long it would take. Why oh why had they stopped for a morning treat of coffee and cocoa at that second rest stop? Curse that generic corporate nectar known as Mint cookie crunch only available in the one month of December!
… ugh… why… just why?
And now it was snowing. Of course it was fucking snowing?
Stupid song! Stupid jinx! He grit his teeth as that God forsaken song started up again!
"Oh the weather outside is fucked up… and traffic is completely backed up." He muttered in tune with the song. "buts it's not like we got anywhere to fucking go- so let it snow- let it snow-OH MY GOD FUCK OFF YOU IDIOTS ITS JUST FROZEN WATER NOT THE APOCALYPSE!" Brick Jojo, the world's most patient driver in the world even when surrounded by idiots bellowed outside his window. Again perfectly calm!
"Brick dear, watch your mouth please. The baby."
His lovely wife who also happened to be the esteemed city heroine Blossom formerly Utonium but now Jojo thank you very much , sat at his side looking serenely gorgeous as always while sipping that delicious hot cocoa, mint mocha... flavored holiday….thing they'd gotten at the last rest stop.
"Babe, do you see those fuckers out there!?" He buzzed his lips and the thin trail of smoke escaped from his mouth. Sharp rose colored eyes looked up from her phone idly. "Besides he can't hear me." He pointed over his shoulder where their little son sat happily watching his cartoons all wrapped up from any sudden chill and … well Brick didn't see much of a point in wrapping up a kid who legit could set his own hair on fire and just sit laughing while mommy shrieked and shook daddy by the shoulders yelling and screaming for him to get a fire extinguisher…. As well as how apparently 'my baby is on fire!' - was somehow magically Brick's fault.
Seriously it took two to tango and only half of that DNA was Brick's doing. Seriously he'd heard the stories from Buttercup about the fire sneezes! There was no real connection between Brick and Cody's… apparent somewhat shared power but….
See one argued with the Pink Puff at their own peril nowadays. Seriously she'd been moody as fuck lately.
And… why the stopping? Why were they stopping again?
"Are you serious right now!? It's snow not an earthquake you fuckers-!"
"Brick! The baby!" Blossom snarled. Uh oh danger. That tone boded ill for him. He turned his gaze to the seething momma bear next to him obviously hell bent on protecting her cub.
"Babe he's four." Brick grunted. Oh c'mon! It wasn't that bad out! Why were they driving twenty miles under the speed limit!?
"He's still my baby." She said dryly before she began digging in her purse. "Now eat a piece of jerky- you turn so unreasonable when you're hungry."
Brick Jojo glowered. "I do not." He muttered but nonetheless leaned over to take a bite from the dried meat she held out . "Besides he's completely sucked into whatever that… cartoon of his is." He pointed behind his shoulder where his four year old was still happily watching… whatever antics those talking… penguins were getting into.
Seriously… penguins. His kid was part fire but he's utterly obsessed with...penguins.
He blamed Bubbles. This was why a fire breathing Rowdyruff Boy does not leave his Rowdyruff in training son in the hands of an overly indulgent cream puff of a sister in law who still wore her hair in pigtails on weekends.
And you know what- he blamed his brother too if only by association. He had made no attempt after all to save the newest Rowdyruff Boy from a life of obsession with purple singing penguins and condemned Cody's poor innocent parents to the same unenviable fate.
Those songs never got out of your head.
Never.
"'The Penguin Squad'" is not as loud as a road raging Rowdyruff Boy dear." She took a sip from her cup "So please do watch your language my dear dear husband because I'd prefer no more phone calls home."
"... Still mad huh?"
"We're not discussing it." She said simply. "I'm drinking my hot cocoa now."
"... can I have some?"
"No."
Yup still mad. In his defense though, that ankle biting brat that had tried stealing Cody's Sparkles the Penguin… plush that Brick had waited for forty five minutes in line at midnight for because he was the best fucking dad ever…
Yeah the little shit was well… a little shit.
"Stealing from my kid huh? Yeah bet your ass you're gonna get thrown to the-."
"Brick!" A hiss and Brick immediately quieted. "Watch your mouth! If you think I'm going to abide any more of those smirking harridans in the pick up lot I swear i'll-!"
"Mommy!" Cody's voice rang out.
"What is it baby?" Blossom turned around.
"Sparkles stole all the glitter fish!" His son whined and….
"Glitter….fish?" Brick said slowly. The fuck was his kid watching!?
"Oh that wasn't very nice was it Dear?" An elbow to the arm- thankfully it was a red light and ugh… fucking Bubbles.
"Uh… yeah- yeah buddy that wasn't very nice of Speckles-."
"Sparkles Daddy! Speckles is the other one!"
"Why do they all have same sounding names?" Brick mumbled.
"Because it's easier for kids to remember my love." Blossom answered serenely.
"And therefore impossible for parents to buy the right fu-." That glare was icy. "Fudging toy so they have to buy them all so their kid doesn't start bawling and screeching." He hissed. She rolled her eyes.
"Business." She shrugged.
"Highway robbery."
"Same thing."
" Even at my worst evil days I was nowhere as bad as this toy company." Another piece of jerky was stuffed in his mouth.
"You didn't eat today did you?"
"... No I got everything in order so the place wouldn't collapse while I was away."
"It's only a week Brick."
"Says the woman who threatened utter hell on Earth to that clerk this morning."
"That old hag should have retired years ago- don't you dare question what I feed my baby- like hell-!" He raised an eyebrow and she cleared her throat. "Like heck am I buying that processed crap-!"
"What's crap?" Blossom blinked before she slapped her brow. He swallowed the snicker. For his own sake. Again moody as hell lately.
Family vacations always did that to her.
"It's a word big people say Baby- you don't say that "
"Mommmmmmy I'm not a baby I'm fourrrrr!" Cody held up a chubby hand with five fingers displayed. Brick chuckled.
"Not quite buddy- one finger down see? Like this." He demonstrated idly with one hand. "And do you see these idi-. He caught himself that time . "These less than competent drivers around us, you'd think they'd never seen snow before!" He scowled.
Blossom chuckled, "In their defense winter seems to have come rather early this year so they don't know if it's natural or not… it is rather strange "
Brick stiffened. "Hey now, we talked about this. No hero work until december 27th. The villains can chill. It's fu… fudging Christmas." He muttered.
"Mommy!"
"Yes well, when has that ever stopped anyone?" She mumbled and returned to her phone.
"Mommmmmmy!"
"My fists did a number on plenty of them." He said smoothly but then sobered. "But I'm serious babe, this is probably the first real Christmas he'll remember. I mean this was the first pic with Santa he's not screaming so...that's gotta be special right?"
"Moooooommmmmmyyyyyy!"
She gave Brick that soft kind of look that signalled for once Brick had said the exact right thing and to further his brownie points he took her hand and pressed a kiss on it. Sure enough, his Powerpuff's smile returned.
"I know sweetheart, I agree completely. It is a special year."
Brick got that other kind of special look that boded wonderful things in that hotel room tonight. Oh yes. Yes it did, just drop his little buddy off with Grandma and Grandpa tonight, or one of the aunt's and… never mind Utonium could watch his kid.
No more penguins. No more. He refused.
"MOMMY!"
"Yes sweetie what is it?" His wife removed her hand smoothly. Damn. How long was this flight? Three...four hours give or take? Brick could wait.
"I have to go potty."
Brick almost cursed as even Blossom winced.
"Oh sweetie do you think you can hold it until we get to the airport?" Brick crammed his neck out the window...and then saw the ominous flashing lights.
"Fat chance Babe- this traffic isn't letting up anytime soon." He murmured and pulled into a nearby rest stop.
"I take it we're probably not going to make our deadline?"
He shook his head, " Nope plane leaves in five hours and with security we got three hours so there goes beating Butch and Buttercup there."
She sighed and undid Cody's seatbelt.
"Which means Bubbles and Boomer will be even later so…."
"Repeat of last year- yup. Twenty minute scramble to the gate."
"Oh delightful. Come on baby, let's go- are you not coming?"
Brick shrugged before digging out his phone. " Nah I need ten or so minutes of daddy time." He scrolled through the heavy metal explicit lyrics playlist. "Get me a Carmie's though would ya?"
His wife raised an eyebrow, "how about a burrito wrap from Quesi-Shack and real protein."
"... Text me when you're out and-."
"Dadddddddy!" Cody pulled on Blossom's hand. "Daddy come with ussssss I'm hungwyyyyyy! Dadddddddy Daddy daddy can I get a candy too? Daddy!"
…. Once a long time ago he'd been a Rowdyruff Boy. Scourge of the city- bludgeoner - everyone fear him(!) and now…
He shook his head, undid his seatbelt and scooped his kid up to give his wife a break. Because he was a good husband and father and-.
"Oooh! Daddy! Daddy! Sparkles! They got Sparkles! See! See! Can I get a goodie meal? Huh huh huh!" Cody pointed like crazy to a cheap plastic toy on one of those colorful advertisements just designed to lure little eyes to-... Ugh.
And whipped. Brick was also very much whipped.
He sighed, "sure buddy, we may as well eat lunch. We're… probably going to be late anyway " Blossom groaned and he threw her a sheepish look but she just crossed her arms before digging in her purse.
See once upon a time Brick had been evil. A scourge. A living nightmare. The leader of the most terrifying threat to Townsville they'd ever know and now…
"Daddy?"
Now he was…. "Daddy".
So uh yeah fear him? Roar?
…. At least right now he only had one of them.
Just one. One was enough.
"Whoa, babe what are you doing?" He blinked. She continued to chew on the jerky in silence.
"I'm hungry you don't mind do you?"
"... No… but-."
"But what!" She snapped suddenly.
You hate spicy food. You only ever ate it with-.
He stiffened and his gaze drifted to the squirming kid in his arms with the red hair who looked disturbingly like his wife who….
"... Daddy I gotta pee." The voice sounded sad and- crap! Right! Daddy duties!
"I'll be right back!" He called over his shoulder and Blossom nodded before turning back to stare longingly at the….coffee menu.
Which… strangely enough she'd neglected to get one this morning… almost like … like…
…. Fuck.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
….. well… at least they hadn't thrown out the crib.
"Daddy! Sparkles!"
…. But by God as Him was his witness there would be no penguins for this next one!
No penguins!
-o-o-o-
"Aw look honey! Bubbles and Boomer got us this isn't it adorable?"
She held up the onesie designed like… penguin with that shine in her eyes he loved so much while Cody hugged his new penguin plush with the special singing scarf and…
…. Brick was going to kill his brother.
Yes. Yes he was.
Fin.