Chapter 6 - Something is Brewing
Blossom never said anything to me about my little involvement in freeing those lab animals, and it's been over a week since I found out she knew.
Brick has been...here's today's word-of-the-day...solicitous since then. I don't know what I missed that day I eavesdropped. Had they said anything prior to the whole Blue Ribbon Incident?
His attitude towards Blossom isn't any different, so it's obvious I didn't miss anything good, at least concerning the two of them.
Buttercup and Butch continue their morning ritual of wrestling until one of them hits that wall. Yes, THAT wall, where it all started. Brick still thinks the wall should get bronzed, and yesterday he threatened to suggest that to the Professor. That earned him a good punch in the arm from Buttercup.
Boomer looks at me suspiciously every time his brother says a kind word to me or touches my shoulder or does any of them numerous things he's been doing since the afternoon of the Blue Ribbon Incident. His eyes will shoot from Butch to Brick to me, and sometimes to Blossom. Once in a while, if I'm not mistaken, he looks disgusted.
He's been withdrawn, though, and it makes me uncomfortable, because for the first time since the Rowdyruffs came back, I can't easily detect what he's feeling. Any empathic abilities I might have thought I had were apparently a fluke. And here I thought I was so good at knowing what lurks under the surface, although, if I were to guess, I'd say despair. Which doesn't fit in with the way he seems to be projecting Bad Attitude all over the place. Even Brick has frowned at him a few times. Butch seems to notice nothing other than how Buttercup's clothes cling to her. That sounds worse than it is, because if you think the Professor would allow Buttercup to go out wearing something sleazy, you're an idiot. She does have a knack of dressing in a way that only hints at the bad girl beneath. Sounds like I'm contradicting myself, and I don't mean that she has this Good Girl Gone Bad look about her. I guess it's just that she wears clothes that are both clingy and concealing. (I know, I have to stop reading those stupid fashion magazines.)
I asked her about it one morning when she came in my room to borrow my hairbrush. I don't think that's really why she was there, because her hair looked just fine to me. She wanted my opinion on something, I think, but she must have changed her mind, so I blurted out the first thing that came to mind, in an effort to break the awkward silence. Her look of pained embarrassment changed to one that was, well, coy. I would have said that Buttercup didn't DO coy, that was more a Blossom thing, but she rubbed her bottom lip with the handle of my brush and said "It's what you DON'T see" in this mysteriously seductive way. It should have been creepy, hearing my own sister talk in this James Bond girl kind of way, saying cryptic things like that, but I just nodded and held out my hand for the brush. She shook her head as if coming out of a trance and thrust it into my hands. Not three seconds later we heard Butch's "TURK!" vibrate through the house, and the next thing I knew, I was staring at a bunch of green sparkly things where Buttercup had been standing a moment before. And she hadn't used my brush at all.
So Buttercup is a classy goth-but-not-goth rebel with a hidden sense of style. I followed her down the stairs, at a much slower pace, only to hear Blossom quietly berating Butch for making enough noise to wake the dead, and that included the Professor, who had been up late the night before working in his lab. Butch actually felt a little bit guilty about that, if I was reading him right. Since I've become unable to get a clear reading from Boomer, I find myself less confident in my abilities.
All doubts about my empathy aside, I still stand by my statement that Brick and Blossom are in love, and it's not just me who thinks so. Otherwise, why would Boomer seem so miserable? I feel bad for him, but he's known this for a while now and continues to moon over Blossom. I want to shake him and get him to face the truth, but then I think about my own hopeless attachment to Butch, and I have to remind myself that love isn't always wrapped up in a nice pretty package with a bow on it, nor does it come with an instruction manual.
That's assuming that he really is feeling, pardon the pun, blue. As I said, he's been hard to read lately. It's been like trying to listen for one conversation from across a crowded room.
Despite the fact that Brick and Blossom drive me nuts with this constant dancing around each other, it's incredibly cute. Gives me a toothache, they are so gosh darn sweet around each other. Even when one of them gets mad at the other, they go back to being best of friends the next time they see each other. Their relationship, or their almost-relationship, is nothing like Butch's and Buttercup's. I think it suits them. Except for the part where they're too blind to realize that they have very real feelings for each other.
At times I can't help but think of that Sims game that Buttercup and Butch used to play. Of course, the two of them ended up turning that into a warped competition, too. Who could get the highest earning job. Who could have the tackiest home furnishings. Who could go to longest ignoring their hygiene requirements...you get the picture.
They really are perfect for each other.
Which is why I was as surprised as anyone what happened during Christmas break.
~~~~~~~~
A/N: Phew! There we go. I am trying not to go too long between updates, and I will really try not to delay Chapter 7 too long. It's holiday week, but I did want to put something out before the hustle and bustle comes to a head. Or maybe it's just a tiny bit of escapism if you and your family are getting sucked into the frenzy. I apologize for the very short chapter, but I had to leave it there, of course. I think it was Arnold's grandfather in Hey Arnold! that said "Always leave 'em wanting more" when it comes to storytelling.
Hairy Gregory - yes, Blossom does seem to overanalyze things - all things! I've also wondered why it was a foregone conclusion that identical personality traits were assigned to the corresponding "partners" - and I am hoping that I manage to avoid falling into that trap!
Ud the Imp - regarding ice cream flavors, I thought that Bubbles might go for something a little more exotic sounding, don't ask me why!
Autumn Leaves - glad you liked the teasing. Sometimes I think it's necessary to show character interaction in order to advance the plot, so scenes like that are fun. Plus the characters sometimes up and write the scenes themselves!
yink and pellow - Would you be surprised to hear that Bubbles is not MY fave character, either? Regarding Octi - I wanted to show a bit of Bubbles' grasping at straws with the discarded bear that Butch gave to Buttercup. And thanks for pointing out the yin/yang aspects, and maybe some day I'll correct it. I do think it SOUNDS better this way, though (must be why songwriters take liberties with how words are pronounced)! Be prepared - there are many things I've forgotten and many episodes I've not seen, so if something seems contradictory, that's why, but you are certainly welcome to point them out, as they can only help me in the long run.
Princess Amara of Conte - thank you so much! It's a high compliment when someone can see him or herself in a character you've written (even if I didn't create her). I've always found the teenaged years to be the ones fraught with change and possibilities, and of finding one's self (or trying like hell, at any rate). Thanks again. You made my day.
Nie Starwhistler - "interesting" is good!
Am I missing anyone? If so, my apologies. Thanks to everyone that's been following this story for your encouragement.
~~~~~~~~
Blossom never said anything to me about my little involvement in freeing those lab animals, and it's been over a week since I found out she knew.
Brick has been...here's today's word-of-the-day...solicitous since then. I don't know what I missed that day I eavesdropped. Had they said anything prior to the whole Blue Ribbon Incident?
His attitude towards Blossom isn't any different, so it's obvious I didn't miss anything good, at least concerning the two of them.
Buttercup and Butch continue their morning ritual of wrestling until one of them hits that wall. Yes, THAT wall, where it all started. Brick still thinks the wall should get bronzed, and yesterday he threatened to suggest that to the Professor. That earned him a good punch in the arm from Buttercup.
Boomer looks at me suspiciously every time his brother says a kind word to me or touches my shoulder or does any of them numerous things he's been doing since the afternoon of the Blue Ribbon Incident. His eyes will shoot from Butch to Brick to me, and sometimes to Blossom. Once in a while, if I'm not mistaken, he looks disgusted.
He's been withdrawn, though, and it makes me uncomfortable, because for the first time since the Rowdyruffs came back, I can't easily detect what he's feeling. Any empathic abilities I might have thought I had were apparently a fluke. And here I thought I was so good at knowing what lurks under the surface, although, if I were to guess, I'd say despair. Which doesn't fit in with the way he seems to be projecting Bad Attitude all over the place. Even Brick has frowned at him a few times. Butch seems to notice nothing other than how Buttercup's clothes cling to her. That sounds worse than it is, because if you think the Professor would allow Buttercup to go out wearing something sleazy, you're an idiot. She does have a knack of dressing in a way that only hints at the bad girl beneath. Sounds like I'm contradicting myself, and I don't mean that she has this Good Girl Gone Bad look about her. I guess it's just that she wears clothes that are both clingy and concealing. (I know, I have to stop reading those stupid fashion magazines.)
I asked her about it one morning when she came in my room to borrow my hairbrush. I don't think that's really why she was there, because her hair looked just fine to me. She wanted my opinion on something, I think, but she must have changed her mind, so I blurted out the first thing that came to mind, in an effort to break the awkward silence. Her look of pained embarrassment changed to one that was, well, coy. I would have said that Buttercup didn't DO coy, that was more a Blossom thing, but she rubbed her bottom lip with the handle of my brush and said "It's what you DON'T see" in this mysteriously seductive way. It should have been creepy, hearing my own sister talk in this James Bond girl kind of way, saying cryptic things like that, but I just nodded and held out my hand for the brush. She shook her head as if coming out of a trance and thrust it into my hands. Not three seconds later we heard Butch's "TURK!" vibrate through the house, and the next thing I knew, I was staring at a bunch of green sparkly things where Buttercup had been standing a moment before. And she hadn't used my brush at all.
So Buttercup is a classy goth-but-not-goth rebel with a hidden sense of style. I followed her down the stairs, at a much slower pace, only to hear Blossom quietly berating Butch for making enough noise to wake the dead, and that included the Professor, who had been up late the night before working in his lab. Butch actually felt a little bit guilty about that, if I was reading him right. Since I've become unable to get a clear reading from Boomer, I find myself less confident in my abilities.
All doubts about my empathy aside, I still stand by my statement that Brick and Blossom are in love, and it's not just me who thinks so. Otherwise, why would Boomer seem so miserable? I feel bad for him, but he's known this for a while now and continues to moon over Blossom. I want to shake him and get him to face the truth, but then I think about my own hopeless attachment to Butch, and I have to remind myself that love isn't always wrapped up in a nice pretty package with a bow on it, nor does it come with an instruction manual.
That's assuming that he really is feeling, pardon the pun, blue. As I said, he's been hard to read lately. It's been like trying to listen for one conversation from across a crowded room.
Despite the fact that Brick and Blossom drive me nuts with this constant dancing around each other, it's incredibly cute. Gives me a toothache, they are so gosh darn sweet around each other. Even when one of them gets mad at the other, they go back to being best of friends the next time they see each other. Their relationship, or their almost-relationship, is nothing like Butch's and Buttercup's. I think it suits them. Except for the part where they're too blind to realize that they have very real feelings for each other.
At times I can't help but think of that Sims game that Buttercup and Butch used to play. Of course, the two of them ended up turning that into a warped competition, too. Who could get the highest earning job. Who could have the tackiest home furnishings. Who could go to longest ignoring their hygiene requirements...you get the picture.
They really are perfect for each other.
Which is why I was as surprised as anyone what happened during Christmas break.
~~~~~~~~
A/N: Phew! There we go. I am trying not to go too long between updates, and I will really try not to delay Chapter 7 too long. It's holiday week, but I did want to put something out before the hustle and bustle comes to a head. Or maybe it's just a tiny bit of escapism if you and your family are getting sucked into the frenzy. I apologize for the very short chapter, but I had to leave it there, of course. I think it was Arnold's grandfather in Hey Arnold! that said "Always leave 'em wanting more" when it comes to storytelling.
Hairy Gregory - yes, Blossom does seem to overanalyze things - all things! I've also wondered why it was a foregone conclusion that identical personality traits were assigned to the corresponding "partners" - and I am hoping that I manage to avoid falling into that trap!
Ud the Imp - regarding ice cream flavors, I thought that Bubbles might go for something a little more exotic sounding, don't ask me why!
Autumn Leaves - glad you liked the teasing. Sometimes I think it's necessary to show character interaction in order to advance the plot, so scenes like that are fun. Plus the characters sometimes up and write the scenes themselves!
yink and pellow - Would you be surprised to hear that Bubbles is not MY fave character, either? Regarding Octi - I wanted to show a bit of Bubbles' grasping at straws with the discarded bear that Butch gave to Buttercup. And thanks for pointing out the yin/yang aspects, and maybe some day I'll correct it. I do think it SOUNDS better this way, though (must be why songwriters take liberties with how words are pronounced)! Be prepared - there are many things I've forgotten and many episodes I've not seen, so if something seems contradictory, that's why, but you are certainly welcome to point them out, as they can only help me in the long run.
Princess Amara of Conte - thank you so much! It's a high compliment when someone can see him or herself in a character you've written (even if I didn't create her). I've always found the teenaged years to be the ones fraught with change and possibilities, and of finding one's self (or trying like hell, at any rate). Thanks again. You made my day.
Nie Starwhistler - "interesting" is good!
Am I missing anyone? If so, my apologies. Thanks to everyone that's been following this story for your encouragement.
~~~~~~~~