Chapter 7 - Ulterior Motives
/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.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
I am still in shock. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I doubt I'd have believed it. I mean, just last week, Buttercup was trying to come up with a suitable nickname for Butch, but with no luck. Of course, everything she tossed his way was taken as a compliment, but it didn't help that she couldn't help using terms like "Stud" even if she was being completely sarcastic. He would just give her this look. It would start off as a smirk, then it would catch on fire. Once, literally. Blossom was SO not happy that his eyes set the curtains on fire. She didn't once believe their story that the toaster caught fire, but I wouldn't, either, considering the curtains were over the sink and the toaster was on the counter - not even along the same wall!
OK, maybe it wasn't his smoldering look that ignited the curtains, but Buttercup's heat vision, but if you'd seen the look in his eyes, you'd have felt your entire body go warm, even if that gaze wasn't directed at you.
Seems like I'm postponing the story about what happened. I know. It just seems to me...well, maybe if I write it down, it will make more sense.
Boomer has been...weird, lately.
It started out with the fact that he rarely came over with his brothers anymore. I might have been insulted if I weren't deep down relieved that I didn't have to watch him glare holes into Brick's head every time Blossom laughed at something he said. Did no one notice that he seemed to be mad at EVERYONE lately? I guess the anger MIGHT be better than his earlier withdrawn state, because at least there's some kind of emotion in there. I just wish...
Well, he seemed to find a way to get over his infatuation for Blossom, all right. BOY, did he manage.
He started dating someone else. And it was only by accident that I found out.
~~~~~~~
Buttercup squeezed Butch's bicep and fluttered her eyelashes at him. She puckered her lips and kissed the air several times. He continued smirking at her as she cooed.
"It's not going to work, Turk," he said. "Because everyone knows that you have the major hots for me. I mean, I AM me, and you're just one of many...OW!"
Buttercup frowned at him after hitting him on the side of the head. "Maybe I can cut down on that number if you have a black eye," she snorted.
"You love me, don't ya, babe?" he said, reaching an arm behind her and pulling her close. "Show me how much."
She tried not to laugh, but she couldn't help it. Blossom and Bubbles exchanged looks of resignation as their sister and Butch engaged in yet another lip lock. Blossom looked at her watch, then cleared her throat.
"You have to come up for oxygen some time," she said dryly. Buttercup stuck out her tongue.
"Don't do that unless you plan to- OW! DAMN it, Blossom!" He rubbed his ear where she'd singed the edge of it. "What is with you girls and your damn heat vision?"
"What do you mean?" Blossom asked, her senses on alert.
"Uuuhhhhh..." he looked at Buttercup helplessly. She looked infuriated.
"Blossom!" Brick zoomed over to where they all hovered, taking in Blossom's stance, her arms crossed in front of her and a stern expression on her face. Bubbles decided this was a good time to float off to the side. Blossom flicked her eyes in Brick's direction, and hope appeared on Butch's face, only to die a quick death when she turned her gaze back to him. He looked toward his brother, pleading with him silently.
Puzzled, Brick put a hand on Blossom's elbow. "Blossom, do you have the disc with our notes on it?" She ignored him and a frown developed on his face. "Butch, what's going on here?"
"That's what I'd like to know," Blossom said, tapping her foot even though the ground was two feet below her.
"Blossom is just bitchy," Buttercup snarled, crossing her own arms.
"Butch," Blossom said, her teeth gritted. "What do you mean, 'you girls and your heat vision'?"
"Oh, for crying out loud!" Buttercup exploded. "Fine! I set fire to the curtains. I melted your stupid cup. It was me, all me! Happy now?"
"Buttercup," Blossom said evenly. "Do you know anything about the break-in at the lab when all the animals were set free?"
"What? No! What are you talking about?"
Bubbles inched away a bit more.
"Nothing," Blossom said abruptly. "Just...making sure of something." She turned toward Brick. "I left it in my locker. I'll give it to you when we get to school."
He nodded. "Sounds like a plan." He put a hand to the small of her back, and Bubbles groaned inaudibly from where she was practically cowering.
"Buttercup?" Blossom added, almost as an afterthought.
"Yeah?"
"My cup?" Blossom frowned. "My cup that you said you had no idea where it was?"
At this point, Bubbles decided it was a good time to get to school, seeing as Blossom seemed more concerned about the cup than about confronting her about the animals. Again. It was making her nervous, knowing that her sister knew this, but hadn't said anything yet.
She decided to take a different route to school, flying low and taking the long route, which still would get her to school on time. It would just keep her from crossing paths with Blossom until later in the day.
She was flying at a height of only ten feet above the ground when she saw a familiar blue jacket down below. In the secluded space between the main school building and the shed where the gym equipment was stored. He was facing the brick wall, and Bubbles zoomed in on the bit of yellow that was visible between him and the building. She first noticed that one of his hands was against the wall, as if it was the only thing propping him up.
The other hand was up Princess Morbucks' skirt.
~~~~~~~~~
Princess Morbucks has red hair. Blossom has red hair. Princess Morbucks has grown her hair out. It used to be curly, but money can do wonders. She had it chemically straightened, because her hairstyle was remarkably similar to Blossom's.
I don't suppose it was a coincidence that she dressed as a Powerpuff Girl for last year for Halloween. One guess which of us she was imitating.
How long had this been going on? What the HELL was Boomer thinking?
By the way, Princess looks horrible in red. Just thought I'd point that out.
It was horrible, catching them like that. Even worse, I must have gasped, because Boomer looked up and his eyes looked straight into mine, and then he looked positively frightening. He gave me this look of...satisfaction? Then he moved his other hand from the wall to behind Princess' back, and pulled her to him, then turned his head away from me at the last minute to devour her mouth.
I mean it. Devour, that is. He latched on and I swear, I thought he was eating her face. She seemed to enjoy it, too, and I stared at them in stunned horror until one of her legs crept up behind him. It was disgusting.
I thought the image was going to be burned into my eyes forever, but fortunately I saw Butch when I got to my locker. The one I share with Buttercup. The one he was standing in front of while Buttercup hit him over the head repeatedly and told him that he was going to be very sorry come the weekend. I had an inkling of what activities were going to be curbed just from the unhappy expression on his face.
"Bubbles? What's wrong?" he asked me. Yes, apparently the threat of being celibate for a weekend has given Butch the need for distraction, and I was right there, my mouth still hanging open.
"I'm sorry?" I said, knowing full well what he was talking about but not wanting to say anything just yet.
I was saved from coming up with an excuse when Buttercup slammed the door shut and stalked off. She actually walked, making sure she stomped her feet hard enough to leave slight impressions in the floor with every step. He didn't cast me so much as a second glance before he tore off after her, levitating in the air in front of her.
I sighed and twirled the dial on the lock.
What was I going to do about Boomer?
~~~~~~~~
By lunchtime, Buttercup was sitting on Butch's lap, making him feed her. She winked at me and mouthed something not very nice, that begins with P and ends with whipped. She looked like the cat that swallowed several canaries.
Canaries are yellow. Yellow. GOD! Princess!
I don't think anyone noticed that I wasn't very hungry. Butch probably ate the lunch that I left on my plate. I didn't notice, because I felt rather queasy. Did everyone all of a sudden have their sex drive kicked into gear?
It seemed only fitting that Blossom buzzed us on our pagers to alert us to an emergency. Since we had different classes now, the emergency phone line was in the principal's office. This meant that Blossom was called out of class to take the call directly, and she would alert our pagers as she zipped through the halls on her way to the office.
Why is that fitting? Because Sedusa was at it again.
Sedusa? Maybe Princess was taking pointers from her.
Maybe Boomer was being a typically hormone-driven teenager.
Maybe.
Damn.
~~~~~~~~~~
Now first I have to say that the part about it being Sedusa was just one of Blossom's hunches at the time (she said it was 'conjecture on her part' but was 'reasonably certain' and that the information she had left 'little room for doubt' that her theory was correct). We haven't seen Sedusa in a while, but she crops up now and then, just when you've forgotten about her. At least, I had forgotten her until I saw Princess molding herself to Boomer like a leech.
Buttercup says that Sedusa is a 'one-trick pony' and she sneered when Blossom mentioned who we were after this time. I don't blame Blossom for making the assumption she made. Who else would manage to steal from three different places in a remarkably short period of time, just by 'slutting it up' as Buttercup so elegantly put it. Sedusa is good at getting men off guard. Then that hair comes out of whatever disguise she's been wearing, and all hell breaks loose.
Blossom decided we didn't need reinforcements from the Boys, and Buttercup agreed wholeheartedly. Sometimes she doesn't want their help just because she really needs to beat the hell out of something, but in this case, I have to agree. I might not have really cared one way or another until I saw firsthand the way a woman can manipulate a man. Or a girl can manipulate a boy.
When I said Princess was taking tips from Sedusa, I was being sarcastic. The joke was on me, I guess.
It was Sedusa, all right, just as Blossom had assumed. And she wasn't alone. You guessed it. She had a partner. One who had red hair and freckles and looked like she was painted in yellow.
Yellow is not a good color for Princess, I remember thinking, even though it really wasn't the best time to think of it.
Princess has always hated us, but in particular, she and Blossom are practically mortal enemies. Oh, Boomer, is this how you deal with rejection? Should I mention Princess' entanglement with our friend? COULD I? As Blossom and Princess fought, and Buttercup pulled Sedusa's hair as hard as she could, I just floated there, off to the side, debating what I should do.
I made up my mind just before Buttercup went flying past me, courtesy of Sedusa and not under her own power.
I hoped like hell I was making the right decision. Boomer was my friend, even if he wasn't acting like it. I'd handle it my own way, on my own. If that didn't work, well...
That was as far as I got before Buttercup zipped past me again, and I decided it was time to help her.
I ignored the fight between Blossom and Princess, despite the fact that Princess' shrill voice was close to making my ears bleed, even as I entered the battle.
I think I was on autopilot, because the next thing I knew, Sedusa was cursing us quite colorfully. If my thoughts weren't on something else, I might have cringed, thinking back to the first time we met Sedusa, back when she was cozying up to the Professor and acting like our mom. Devil with an angel's face, that was Sedusa back then. As opposed to Princess, who is the devil through and through. And I knew in my heart that she'd be out of jail as fast as she was in. I think her dad must have an account set up at the city jail. I still don't understand how she can keep getting released with a record that covers crimes in and out of Townsville. Then again, Mojo Jojo seems to have the same kind of luck. Except I don't have to worry about Boomer sticking his tongue down Mojo's throat. Ewww. I wish I could say that bothered me less than the image of Boomer with Princess.
I barely remember the fight. I assume Sedusa and Princess had adjoining cells. I can only assume we won the fight. I'd like to think I'd have noticed if we hadn't.
I had ice cream before going to bed that night. I knew I'd need it because, come hell or high water, I was going to confront Boomer the next day.
Just before I fell asleep, I remember having a very bad feeling about this year's upcoming Halloween party.
~~~~~~~~~
Boomer nuzzled the side of Princess Morbucks' face as he approached her underneath the bleachers.
"You're skipping class," he breathed into her ear. "You ARE a bad girl."
She shivered slightly, then put her open palm against his face and pushing him away. "Get AWAY," she said, but she didn't look like she meant it.
Boomer closed his eyes for a moment, squeezing them shut so tightly that when he opened them again, his vision was slightly blurred. When he did that, the girl in front of him could almost pass for someone else. Then his vision would clear, her freckles and her frown would come into focus, and any illusions were shattered.
But it was as close as he could get, so he took it.
He had felt Bubbles' gaze on him before he saw her overhead, and he'd been pissed at the idea that she might be stalking him. If he'd thought about it, she'd have no reason to, but that hadn't stopped him from putting on a show. One that Princess had readily gotten into it as well.
He had actually been surprised that Princess had given him the time of day. He hadn't really been all that serious when he hit on her, using some cheesy pickup line that Butch used around Buttercup all the time, just to get a rise out of her. When her perpetual scowl turned into a look of downright glee, he supposed he should have flown away as fast as he could, but then he pictured Blossom's face when Brick touched her, and instead, he felt his lips curl up in a smirk. Next thing he knew, they were an item. He supposed so, anyway.
There were fringe benefits to their partnership. He could temporarily lose himself in a haze of lust when he was with Princess. She was a bit rough, which turned him off at first, because it made him think of Buttercup. But then she'd touch him in places that he'd only touched himself before, and he would focus on that long red hair, and the feel of her hands, and his eyes would slide closed. It was enough. If his heart was floundering, his body certainly had no qualms about taking what Princess offered.
Bubbles pissed him off, though. She looked at him with pity. Of all people to pity him, he'd be damned if he'd take it from her. She had no right to act like he was heartbroken, just because Butch had made it quite clear that he wasn't interested in her.
Boomer sure as hell didn't need the blonde Powerpuff to cluck at him like a mother hen and pat him on the shoulder. He had Princess to make his misery go away. For a while at least.
Besides, Blossom was still single, technically, and despite the fact that Bubbles clearly thought that her sister was in love with Brick, that didn't mean that Blossom really felt that way.
He told himself that again as Princess slipped her hand beneath his waistband. With her head bowed as it was, he couldn't see her face. It was much easier, therefore, to picture large pink eyes instead of Princess' hard beady gaze. He bit his lip to prevent the wrong name from slipping out as Princess worked her magic.
That would be a bad thing.
~~~~~~~~~
/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.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
I am still in shock. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I doubt I'd have believed it. I mean, just last week, Buttercup was trying to come up with a suitable nickname for Butch, but with no luck. Of course, everything she tossed his way was taken as a compliment, but it didn't help that she couldn't help using terms like "Stud" even if she was being completely sarcastic. He would just give her this look. It would start off as a smirk, then it would catch on fire. Once, literally. Blossom was SO not happy that his eyes set the curtains on fire. She didn't once believe their story that the toaster caught fire, but I wouldn't, either, considering the curtains were over the sink and the toaster was on the counter - not even along the same wall!
OK, maybe it wasn't his smoldering look that ignited the curtains, but Buttercup's heat vision, but if you'd seen the look in his eyes, you'd have felt your entire body go warm, even if that gaze wasn't directed at you.
Seems like I'm postponing the story about what happened. I know. It just seems to me...well, maybe if I write it down, it will make more sense.
Boomer has been...weird, lately.
It started out with the fact that he rarely came over with his brothers anymore. I might have been insulted if I weren't deep down relieved that I didn't have to watch him glare holes into Brick's head every time Blossom laughed at something he said. Did no one notice that he seemed to be mad at EVERYONE lately? I guess the anger MIGHT be better than his earlier withdrawn state, because at least there's some kind of emotion in there. I just wish...
Well, he seemed to find a way to get over his infatuation for Blossom, all right. BOY, did he manage.
He started dating someone else. And it was only by accident that I found out.
~~~~~~~
Buttercup squeezed Butch's bicep and fluttered her eyelashes at him. She puckered her lips and kissed the air several times. He continued smirking at her as she cooed.
"It's not going to work, Turk," he said. "Because everyone knows that you have the major hots for me. I mean, I AM me, and you're just one of many...OW!"
Buttercup frowned at him after hitting him on the side of the head. "Maybe I can cut down on that number if you have a black eye," she snorted.
"You love me, don't ya, babe?" he said, reaching an arm behind her and pulling her close. "Show me how much."
She tried not to laugh, but she couldn't help it. Blossom and Bubbles exchanged looks of resignation as their sister and Butch engaged in yet another lip lock. Blossom looked at her watch, then cleared her throat.
"You have to come up for oxygen some time," she said dryly. Buttercup stuck out her tongue.
"Don't do that unless you plan to- OW! DAMN it, Blossom!" He rubbed his ear where she'd singed the edge of it. "What is with you girls and your damn heat vision?"
"What do you mean?" Blossom asked, her senses on alert.
"Uuuhhhhh..." he looked at Buttercup helplessly. She looked infuriated.
"Blossom!" Brick zoomed over to where they all hovered, taking in Blossom's stance, her arms crossed in front of her and a stern expression on her face. Bubbles decided this was a good time to float off to the side. Blossom flicked her eyes in Brick's direction, and hope appeared on Butch's face, only to die a quick death when she turned her gaze back to him. He looked toward his brother, pleading with him silently.
Puzzled, Brick put a hand on Blossom's elbow. "Blossom, do you have the disc with our notes on it?" She ignored him and a frown developed on his face. "Butch, what's going on here?"
"That's what I'd like to know," Blossom said, tapping her foot even though the ground was two feet below her.
"Blossom is just bitchy," Buttercup snarled, crossing her own arms.
"Butch," Blossom said, her teeth gritted. "What do you mean, 'you girls and your heat vision'?"
"Oh, for crying out loud!" Buttercup exploded. "Fine! I set fire to the curtains. I melted your stupid cup. It was me, all me! Happy now?"
"Buttercup," Blossom said evenly. "Do you know anything about the break-in at the lab when all the animals were set free?"
"What? No! What are you talking about?"
Bubbles inched away a bit more.
"Nothing," Blossom said abruptly. "Just...making sure of something." She turned toward Brick. "I left it in my locker. I'll give it to you when we get to school."
He nodded. "Sounds like a plan." He put a hand to the small of her back, and Bubbles groaned inaudibly from where she was practically cowering.
"Buttercup?" Blossom added, almost as an afterthought.
"Yeah?"
"My cup?" Blossom frowned. "My cup that you said you had no idea where it was?"
At this point, Bubbles decided it was a good time to get to school, seeing as Blossom seemed more concerned about the cup than about confronting her about the animals. Again. It was making her nervous, knowing that her sister knew this, but hadn't said anything yet.
She decided to take a different route to school, flying low and taking the long route, which still would get her to school on time. It would just keep her from crossing paths with Blossom until later in the day.
She was flying at a height of only ten feet above the ground when she saw a familiar blue jacket down below. In the secluded space between the main school building and the shed where the gym equipment was stored. He was facing the brick wall, and Bubbles zoomed in on the bit of yellow that was visible between him and the building. She first noticed that one of his hands was against the wall, as if it was the only thing propping him up.
The other hand was up Princess Morbucks' skirt.
~~~~~~~~~
Princess Morbucks has red hair. Blossom has red hair. Princess Morbucks has grown her hair out. It used to be curly, but money can do wonders. She had it chemically straightened, because her hairstyle was remarkably similar to Blossom's.
I don't suppose it was a coincidence that she dressed as a Powerpuff Girl for last year for Halloween. One guess which of us she was imitating.
How long had this been going on? What the HELL was Boomer thinking?
By the way, Princess looks horrible in red. Just thought I'd point that out.
It was horrible, catching them like that. Even worse, I must have gasped, because Boomer looked up and his eyes looked straight into mine, and then he looked positively frightening. He gave me this look of...satisfaction? Then he moved his other hand from the wall to behind Princess' back, and pulled her to him, then turned his head away from me at the last minute to devour her mouth.
I mean it. Devour, that is. He latched on and I swear, I thought he was eating her face. She seemed to enjoy it, too, and I stared at them in stunned horror until one of her legs crept up behind him. It was disgusting.
I thought the image was going to be burned into my eyes forever, but fortunately I saw Butch when I got to my locker. The one I share with Buttercup. The one he was standing in front of while Buttercup hit him over the head repeatedly and told him that he was going to be very sorry come the weekend. I had an inkling of what activities were going to be curbed just from the unhappy expression on his face.
"Bubbles? What's wrong?" he asked me. Yes, apparently the threat of being celibate for a weekend has given Butch the need for distraction, and I was right there, my mouth still hanging open.
"I'm sorry?" I said, knowing full well what he was talking about but not wanting to say anything just yet.
I was saved from coming up with an excuse when Buttercup slammed the door shut and stalked off. She actually walked, making sure she stomped her feet hard enough to leave slight impressions in the floor with every step. He didn't cast me so much as a second glance before he tore off after her, levitating in the air in front of her.
I sighed and twirled the dial on the lock.
What was I going to do about Boomer?
~~~~~~~~
By lunchtime, Buttercup was sitting on Butch's lap, making him feed her. She winked at me and mouthed something not very nice, that begins with P and ends with whipped. She looked like the cat that swallowed several canaries.
Canaries are yellow. Yellow. GOD! Princess!
I don't think anyone noticed that I wasn't very hungry. Butch probably ate the lunch that I left on my plate. I didn't notice, because I felt rather queasy. Did everyone all of a sudden have their sex drive kicked into gear?
It seemed only fitting that Blossom buzzed us on our pagers to alert us to an emergency. Since we had different classes now, the emergency phone line was in the principal's office. This meant that Blossom was called out of class to take the call directly, and she would alert our pagers as she zipped through the halls on her way to the office.
Why is that fitting? Because Sedusa was at it again.
Sedusa? Maybe Princess was taking pointers from her.
Maybe Boomer was being a typically hormone-driven teenager.
Maybe.
Damn.
~~~~~~~~~~
Now first I have to say that the part about it being Sedusa was just one of Blossom's hunches at the time (she said it was 'conjecture on her part' but was 'reasonably certain' and that the information she had left 'little room for doubt' that her theory was correct). We haven't seen Sedusa in a while, but she crops up now and then, just when you've forgotten about her. At least, I had forgotten her until I saw Princess molding herself to Boomer like a leech.
Buttercup says that Sedusa is a 'one-trick pony' and she sneered when Blossom mentioned who we were after this time. I don't blame Blossom for making the assumption she made. Who else would manage to steal from three different places in a remarkably short period of time, just by 'slutting it up' as Buttercup so elegantly put it. Sedusa is good at getting men off guard. Then that hair comes out of whatever disguise she's been wearing, and all hell breaks loose.
Blossom decided we didn't need reinforcements from the Boys, and Buttercup agreed wholeheartedly. Sometimes she doesn't want their help just because she really needs to beat the hell out of something, but in this case, I have to agree. I might not have really cared one way or another until I saw firsthand the way a woman can manipulate a man. Or a girl can manipulate a boy.
When I said Princess was taking tips from Sedusa, I was being sarcastic. The joke was on me, I guess.
It was Sedusa, all right, just as Blossom had assumed. And she wasn't alone. You guessed it. She had a partner. One who had red hair and freckles and looked like she was painted in yellow.
Yellow is not a good color for Princess, I remember thinking, even though it really wasn't the best time to think of it.
Princess has always hated us, but in particular, she and Blossom are practically mortal enemies. Oh, Boomer, is this how you deal with rejection? Should I mention Princess' entanglement with our friend? COULD I? As Blossom and Princess fought, and Buttercup pulled Sedusa's hair as hard as she could, I just floated there, off to the side, debating what I should do.
I made up my mind just before Buttercup went flying past me, courtesy of Sedusa and not under her own power.
I hoped like hell I was making the right decision. Boomer was my friend, even if he wasn't acting like it. I'd handle it my own way, on my own. If that didn't work, well...
That was as far as I got before Buttercup zipped past me again, and I decided it was time to help her.
I ignored the fight between Blossom and Princess, despite the fact that Princess' shrill voice was close to making my ears bleed, even as I entered the battle.
I think I was on autopilot, because the next thing I knew, Sedusa was cursing us quite colorfully. If my thoughts weren't on something else, I might have cringed, thinking back to the first time we met Sedusa, back when she was cozying up to the Professor and acting like our mom. Devil with an angel's face, that was Sedusa back then. As opposed to Princess, who is the devil through and through. And I knew in my heart that she'd be out of jail as fast as she was in. I think her dad must have an account set up at the city jail. I still don't understand how she can keep getting released with a record that covers crimes in and out of Townsville. Then again, Mojo Jojo seems to have the same kind of luck. Except I don't have to worry about Boomer sticking his tongue down Mojo's throat. Ewww. I wish I could say that bothered me less than the image of Boomer with Princess.
I barely remember the fight. I assume Sedusa and Princess had adjoining cells. I can only assume we won the fight. I'd like to think I'd have noticed if we hadn't.
I had ice cream before going to bed that night. I knew I'd need it because, come hell or high water, I was going to confront Boomer the next day.
Just before I fell asleep, I remember having a very bad feeling about this year's upcoming Halloween party.
~~~~~~~~~
Boomer nuzzled the side of Princess Morbucks' face as he approached her underneath the bleachers.
"You're skipping class," he breathed into her ear. "You ARE a bad girl."
She shivered slightly, then put her open palm against his face and pushing him away. "Get AWAY," she said, but she didn't look like she meant it.
Boomer closed his eyes for a moment, squeezing them shut so tightly that when he opened them again, his vision was slightly blurred. When he did that, the girl in front of him could almost pass for someone else. Then his vision would clear, her freckles and her frown would come into focus, and any illusions were shattered.
But it was as close as he could get, so he took it.
He had felt Bubbles' gaze on him before he saw her overhead, and he'd been pissed at the idea that she might be stalking him. If he'd thought about it, she'd have no reason to, but that hadn't stopped him from putting on a show. One that Princess had readily gotten into it as well.
He had actually been surprised that Princess had given him the time of day. He hadn't really been all that serious when he hit on her, using some cheesy pickup line that Butch used around Buttercup all the time, just to get a rise out of her. When her perpetual scowl turned into a look of downright glee, he supposed he should have flown away as fast as he could, but then he pictured Blossom's face when Brick touched her, and instead, he felt his lips curl up in a smirk. Next thing he knew, they were an item. He supposed so, anyway.
There were fringe benefits to their partnership. He could temporarily lose himself in a haze of lust when he was with Princess. She was a bit rough, which turned him off at first, because it made him think of Buttercup. But then she'd touch him in places that he'd only touched himself before, and he would focus on that long red hair, and the feel of her hands, and his eyes would slide closed. It was enough. If his heart was floundering, his body certainly had no qualms about taking what Princess offered.
Bubbles pissed him off, though. She looked at him with pity. Of all people to pity him, he'd be damned if he'd take it from her. She had no right to act like he was heartbroken, just because Butch had made it quite clear that he wasn't interested in her.
Boomer sure as hell didn't need the blonde Powerpuff to cluck at him like a mother hen and pat him on the shoulder. He had Princess to make his misery go away. For a while at least.
Besides, Blossom was still single, technically, and despite the fact that Bubbles clearly thought that her sister was in love with Brick, that didn't mean that Blossom really felt that way.
He told himself that again as Princess slipped her hand beneath his waistband. With her head bowed as it was, he couldn't see her face. It was much easier, therefore, to picture large pink eyes instead of Princess' hard beady gaze. He bit his lip to prevent the wrong name from slipping out as Princess worked her magic.
That would be a bad thing.
~~~~~~~~~