A/N: I'll post two chapters a week since it's such a short story.

Blood Bank Day.

The Professor's research was gaining traction as he made breakthroughs in helping patients whose red blood cells couldn't effectively transport oxygen.

Bubbles couldn't back down from volunteering for this. Her father's happiness meant too much to her.

She did take precaution to wear a mask, so the smell wouldn't be so overwhelming. Her reason was that she wanted to be sterile around people.

Luckily I...ate two days ago. Usually some blood keeps me full for about a week. But sometimes it was random. Like whenever she was around blood in general.

The two sisters and Professor were at the local Clinic again to retrieve more blood samples for the Professor's work. There was a line extending to outside of the small building all the way past they fire department across the street.

Bubbles walked along the aisles and greeted people and made small talk as she passed by. The Professor was walking around with a group of scientists which were probably his cohort talking to the media. There are two cameramen holding large equipment on their shoulders. A photographer with a Digital SLR slung around her neck was walking around taking 'candid' photos of everyone. Bubbles smiled with her eyes the best she could.

Bubbles felt her phone vibrate. She took it out of her jean pocket and looked at the text message.

Hey. Butch is here. Seat #50. Way in the back. I think he signed in with a different name.

Bubbles felt her heart stop as she reeled from the message.

Huhhh?

Her phone vibrated again as new text bubbles slid down.

I'll check him out.

Bubbles quickly tapped away at a new message.

No i got it

Buttercup reacted with a ? then with another text, If you say so. Lmk if you need backup.

"Good morning, sir."

"Hey bluey."

Bubbles glanced around to make sure they weren't in earshot and dropped her smile. "What are you doing here?"

He stared at her, Bubbles was getting fidgety.

"I came to check up on you. It's not a favorable place to be in right now, don't you think. Considering your recovery. You and your family are all over the news right now."

Bubbles didn't know what to say except that she felt her cheeks warm up.

"Alright Dimitri, let's prep your arm." A nurse came by and Bubbles immediately stepped away, observing from a distance.

She always looked away from medical procedures but this time she couldn't look away at the intricate process. The amound of tubes, needles, and tapes, that were carefully wrapped on Butch's arm was almost...fascinating.

"All done, I'll come back when it's finished. Thank you for your service to the public, Dimitri."

The nurse smiled and walked away while Bubbles was fixed on the spot. Bubbles stared at the red liquid seeping from Butch's arm to the container. She gulped.

Butch cleared his throat and Bubbles looked up. He was smiling, a forced kind of smile that showed his front teeth only. Bubbles licked along her canine. It was sharp.

Oh no.

Bubbles took out her phone to pull up the camera. It was hard to touch the screen with noticeably longer nails. She pulled up the camera, using it as a mirror.

Her eyes were almost slit-like, if you looked up close.

"Bubbles! There you are!" Bubbles broke out in cold sweat, her hands started to tremble slightly.

Still holding her phone Bubbles quickly clasped her hands behind her back and smiled with her eyes almost closed.

The journalist that previously interviewed the Professor walked up to her with one of the cameramen.

"Ms. Lynda! Good to see you!" Bubbles greeted in a higher voice than usual.

"Bubbles, I was wondering if I could get a few words from you?"

"O-Oh sure!" Bubbles clenched her hands into fists behind her. She felt her nails pierce her skin. Bubbles looked around for Buttercup. She glanced behind her briefly and saw that Butch was observing the entire interaction with an unreadable face.

"How do you feel about your father's work?" Ms. Lynda raised the microphone to Bubbles' masked mouth.

Bubbles was smiling with her eyes almost squirting. "W-well, he's my dad! This is something he's been working on for two years! He works really, really hard and is a good person. I'm always proud of him, no matter what."

"That is absolutely heartwarming," Ms. Lynda was a gorgeous woman, even Bubbles couldn't help but notice. Her red lipstick moved perfectly and she had a mole at the corner of her lip.

"On another note, on social media, people follow your posts. They know you get squeamish when it comes to blood in particular," she emphasized the word squeamish with a playful shudder, "How can you stand being around this much blood?"

Bubbles blanched at the sight of all the packets of blood dangling on IV poles. Bubbles felt something warm drip down her palms.

Bubbles nervously laughed with her eyes closed, "Anything for the Professor. A little blood won't hurt!" Her voice started to crack noticeably. Sweat started to drip down her temple. A large camera pinpointed right at her and she didn't know how to get out-

"Ms. Lynda!" Everyone turned around to Buttercup waving behind them, "U-uh the Professor would like to have another interview with you if that's okay?" She gestured by pointing her thumb behind her towards the entrance where people in lab coats with laughing.

"Sure! Thank you so much for the scoop," the journalist winked and her black curls bobbed on her head as she walked away. Buttercup approached her.

"Bubbles-"

"I-I got to go! I got really camera-shy for a second, thanks for saving me sis Tell the Professor I had to step out for a bit. Bye!" and Bubbles zipped out of there towards the back. Buttercup looked at the chair where Butch was sitting, he gone along with his blood packet.

Bubbles bit down on the blood packet voraciously and drank it as if it was a carton of orange juice. Butch watched her as the drank, the wind blowing tendrils of hair in her face, sticking on to the smeared blood. Butch used his finger to lightly drag the ahirs away.

Once Bubbles was finished, the empty packet in her arms fell to her lap and tears started to escape from her eyes.

"I can't do this…" Bubbles choked a sob and covered her face so Butch couldn't see.

After she flew away from the clinic, Bubbles flew to a secluded park a little ways off, ripped off her mask, and started hyperventilating. Butch caught up to her shortly and found her on the grass. His shadow loomed over her and she turned her face away and clenched her fists so the person couldn't see.

He offered the packet, "Bubbles you need to drink this now."

She immediately recognized that voice. She looked up and her eyes instantly zoomed in on the packet in front of her. She snatched it away and drank as if she hadn't drank water in weeks.

Once Bubbles was finished crying, she wiped away at her nose.

"Sorry," she sniffled.

"For...what?"

"Being like this. I cry at everything."

"It's who you are. You can't change that."

"You care too much about what others think, Bluey."

"Why are you helping me?"

"How would you answer that question, Bubbles."

"Because...because…" Because we're supposed to be enemies? Because you're the most frightening boy I've ever met? Because this is all a plan to ruin the Powerpuff Girls once and for all?

Because…

"...you care...about me?"

Butch's eyes softened and a faint smile slowly stretched on his face. He leaned forward and Bubbles relatively moved back.

"Took you long enough." His voice was low and breathy.

In that moment, Bubbles remembered all those moments they had together. Her task was to keep an eye on Boomer but somehow she always ended up getting closer to Butch.

Not holding back this time, she was the one who closed the space between them.

Bubbles floated through her window, she checked Buttercup's bed. Empty. She floated towards the light switch at the other side of the room but stopped at a familiar object encased in a glass dome.

Their Hotline phone. Since tech has changed a lot in the past 15 years, Bubbles and her sisters use smartphones.

With tired eyes, she approached the relic of time and lightly touched the surface. No trace of dust whatsoever. The Professor must've took good care of this.

The lights turned on. Buttercup was standing by the switch. Bubbles stood with wide eyes, caught red-handed. Her mouth was wide open but was covered by a mask.

"I saw everything. Today. You. Butch. You and Butch on good terms?-" Buttercup walked forward slowly.

"I-It's not what you think!" Bubbles interrupted, "I-It's...It's-"

"Bubbles, what's been going on? You're sometimes out late at night and I know you don't work night shift at the pet shelter. Also...why are you wearing a mask?"

Bubbles took off her mask and felt her teeth quickly. No fangs. Good. "For...style?" Bubbles said sheepishly.

Buttercup huffed and showed Bubbles the screen of her phone, "On social media you could barely tell but...what's going on with your eyes? Are you a cat or something?"

Bubbles' face went pale, "I-I...uh…"

"Also, what's this?" Buttercup held up a coolant bag.

Bubbles gasped and snatched it away. Busted.

Buttercup backed off and sighed, "Let's...sit down for a minute."

Bubbles plopped down on the edge of Buttercup's bed in defeat, "Okay...I'll start from the beginning."

Bubbles recounted everything that happened since the blast in July up till now. Details about Butch she kept vague but Bubbles reassured her sister that he wasn't doing anything to harm her.

Buttercup rubbed her hair in frustration, "So what you're telling me, you're a vampire because of that strange liquid from the explosion and ever since you woke up, you hungered for blood."

Bubbles turned away and hugged herself at the elbows, her eyes downcast.

Buttercup gritted her teeth and threw up her hands, "Agh! This is all starting to make my head hurt."

"Why didn't you say anything earlier? I know we've been busy trying to get our lives together but...we're sisters."

Bubbles didn't say anything and hugged herself tighter. Buttercup scooted forward and held her sister in her arms.

"You and the Professor are all I have left right now," at the last few words, Buttercup's voice cracked. Bubbles nodded and started sniffling. Buttercup smoothed out the top of Bubbles' hair to soothe her.

"...I'm so sorry. I didn't want to make things harder than they already are. And everything's changing so much," she looked at her sister with glassy eyes, "I don't want people to be scared of me."

Buttercup looked at her sister and smiled, "Bubs...it's not about what you are, it's what you do that makes you a 'good'." Buttercup sighed, "This is a lot for me to take in at the moment but it seems that you're handling yourself pretty well. Didn't think you grew up into an adult so fast. Our little Bubbles" Buttercup gave a teasing smile and pinched her cheek.

"Ow! Haha," Bubbles playfully swatted away Buttercup's hand.

"We'll figure something out. Let's just take it one day at a time. Also...how does it work?" Buttercup squinted at Bubbles' face.

Bubbles laughed, "I only 'transform' when I'm hungry only. I just ate so you don't see anything."

Buttercup raised an eyebrow, "What did you 'eat'?"

Bubbles sweatdropped, "U-um, well about that…"

Buttercup put the pieces together in her mind and yelled, "UGH! NO! Don't say anything. I don't need weird images in my head with that guy." Buttercup couldn't suppress a violent shudder.

"You two had a 'vibe' going on in middle school and high school. Thought it was just a posing crush but hey! Here we are…"

"Was it that obvious?"

"You two are the densest dorks I've ever met, and I'M pretty dense myself."

Bubbles laughed nervously and scratched her head. Her face instantly turned red.

"Hey I'd think it'd be really cool to have a superhero that's a vampire-cat thing."

Bubbles sputtered, "Cat-thing?"

"Well yeah, you have eyes like a cat but obviously thirst for blood like a mosquito-"

"Now I'm a bug!" Bubbles laughed out loud, not even bothering to cover her teeth.

Buttercup leaned closer pointing her finger at Bubbles' teeth, "Woah! That's so cool! Are you hungry already?"

Bubbles gasped and grabbed the coolant bag and took out a packet and bit down.

"It's nice to see you smile, Bubs, fangs and all."

Bubbles still had the packet in her mouth and looked into the space with a sad look, "I'm...just scared that townsville won't accept me."

There was a pause, the Buttercup waved her hand around as if swatting a fly, "Well, there'll always be haters," she said, "But you have us."

Bubbles smiled with the packet half finished in her mouth.

"Speaking of which, we need to tell Bloss."

Bubbles stared at her sister, then quietly nodded.

It's probably for the best, she thought.

Dawn broke early the next morning and Bubbles and Buttercup were lazing the on the living room couches. Bubbles was sprawled on the other couch next to Buttercup, she was tracing the shadows on the ceiling with her eyes.

"Maybe you can patrol the night and I can patrol the day," Buttercup said, eating some beef jerky.

Bubbles pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed, "I'm not nocturnal Buttercup. It's just the blood thing, nothing else."

Buttercup shifted in her spot, "Do you think you're immortal now?-"

The door busted open, with Blossom entering in with disheveled hair, her pink headband slightly off, carrying a small backpack. "I rushed over and came as soon as I can!"

"Took you long enough sis," Buttercup said, "Bubbles start from the beginning again."

Bubbles groaned and took a deep breath.

"You're with Butch? Now that's even scarier…" Blossom didn't contain her shudder.

Of course that's the one thing they focus on, Bubbles thought to herself.

"We're not a thing!...I think?" Bubbles said.

Buttercup shuddered while Blossom laughed, "How far did you two go?"

"Ummm-" Bubbles started to raise a finger-

"Stop right there!" Buttercup motioned her arms to stop as if she were an umpire at a baseball game.

Blossom crossed her arms, "Hehe~ it would explain grade school a lot."

"Dude that's what I was saying!" Buttercup exclaimed with her arms raised to emphasize her point.

"Anyway," Blossom's face turned serious, "Do you think it's connected to HIM?"

Bubbles looked down in thought, "He says he's not involved but I can't think of anyone else with the power to do these kind of...tricks."

Blossom floated over to her sister and placed a hand over her arm, "I think everything will be okay. If Townsville doesn't accept you, then we do."

They girls caught up on other things. They rarely saw each other in person. When the Professor came home later he gave Blossom a great big bear hug and dad tears.

When it was time for bed, Blossom caught up to Bubbles in the hallway.

"Bubbles can I talk to you for a sec?" Bubbles nodded, "Sure."

They went to the bedroom and Blossom shut the door.

"I just wanted to say that I'm so sorry I wasn't around."

"It's not your fault about what happened Bloss," Bubbles insisted.

"It's not just that. I keep up with the news. Townsville's been drowning with crime since I left. Buttercup told me that she took time off school to keep it safe. I'm worried for you-"

"I don't need you to take care of me. I'm not a baby!"

"But Bubbles, we don't even know how to reverse this. We don't know who caused this. I just want you live a normal life as much as possible-"

"What is even normal for us Blossom?" Bubbles exclaimed, "We're going to keep fighting crime until we die." Bubbles crossed her arms and huffed.

"Bubbles…there's more to life than fighting crime. We have our own lives to live. We can always work with the Mayor to train people to keep the town safe. You can be with Butch in peace."

Bubbles's expression softened at the mention of Butch. Blossom walked up to her sister.

"I'm here now. We can face this together," Blossom wrapped her arms around her shoulders. Bubbles embraced Blossom back.

"I've missed you Blossom," Bubbles pulled away, "Another thing that was on my mind, Butch told me you were in town when I was asleep."

Blossom rubbed the side of her arm, "Yeah, it was pretty scary. I thought I lost you."

"Thanks for being a great sister," then Bubbles looked determined, "I can handle this. Don't worry."

Buttercup slammed open the door, "Guys!"

"Rude much?" said Blossom with an eyebrow raised.

"Sorry-hey you two need to see this." Buttercup pulled up her phone.

"Bubbles, you're trending on social media." Bubbles paled.