author's note: The song recommendation for this chapter is Sweet Gin by Leisure Suite!
Thursday, Mar. 25
Butch hummed, absolutely content with his life in that moment.
Buttercup was sitting in the corner of the couch so, obviously, he came over to bother her. He'd plopped down and laid back, his head on her lap. She'd groaned and complained at him, but started playing with his hair even while she teased him about the 'heavy weight' of his 'fat head'. Then, Bubbles had come in and laid on him, her chest against his, her chin resting on his shoulder. He quickly wrapped an arm around her to keep her from falling off of him and off of the couch, and she'd laughed brightly at Buttercup's 'yuck'.
They were watching some basketball game that had already disappointed the lime Puff- the team she wanted to win behind by a solid fifteen or so points. There was still time for a turn around, but the woman wasn't holding her breath. Butch was far more interested in the blonde on his chest and, as he and Buttercup tended to agree on most sport teams, since they were falling behind he also didn't want to pay attention to the game.
It was always fun when they differed in team preference in a game, though.
Things got loud and competitive.
"Are you two gonna get off me anytime soon?"
"Nope." Bubbles grinned at her sister. "I'm quite comfortable right here."
"Me too," Butch agreed, looking up at his counterpart with a wide, teasing grin. "I think I could go for a nap, actually."
She groaned.
Bubbles laughed. "I think a nap sounds nice, babe!"
"I swear, if either of you pass out on me, I'm skinning both of you," she hissed. "Don't you need to pack up or something?"
Butch groaned loudly at the reminder.
Bubbles just giggled and patted his shoulder reassuringly. "I already packed everything that needs to be packed for both of us, don't worry." His other arm came up to wrap fully around her, tightening his vice like grip, and she felt his nose bury itself in her hair. "We'll have to worry about the food and toiletries tomorrow, but I think I got everything?"
"You're the best. You're spoiling me, and I would kill for you," he praised between planting kisses to the crown of her head.
"God, you two are gross," Buttercup groaned. Her fingers still threaded through her counterpart's curly hair, though, and the ghost of a smile was seen, threatening to show the world how utterly at peace the woman truly was in the moment.
Bubbles' laughter echoed through the house once more. "You love us, you butt. Don't act like you don't."
"It's debatable at times," she deadpanned. "Also, don't do his clean up job for him, Bubs- he'll never learn that way."
She rolled her eyes. "It was either do it now, for him, or listen to him whine about how he forgot something he's never gonna get back for the next week straight."
Buttercup laughed loudly at the blonde's response, and laughed even harder after Butch scoffed and balked at the woman laying on him. It was the lime Puff's uproarious laughter echoed by Bubbles' rolling giggles that drew Boomer into the living room with curious cobalt eyes.
"I cannot believe you're roasting me while also using me as a couch !"
"You took up the actual couch, I had no other choice," Bubbles 'defensively' teased back.
Boomer leaned against the doorway, watching as the blonde squished her boyfriend's cheeks to make his mouth pucker and the lime Puff wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes. "Are we just having a dog pile and nobody invited me?"
"No-"
"Yes!" Bubbles shouted over the greens.
The blond's smile widened and he ran over to jump on Bubbles' back. Butch groaned like the air had been knocked out of his lungs (dear god those assholes were heavy), and Buttercup snorted. She had more weight than she'd like on her legs, but it was nothing compared to being completely squashed by both of the blues.
"You're a little shit," Butch wheezed.
"I don't sound that little if you're that outta breath," Boomer laughed.
The blonde lass squished between the two men only giggled louder. She'd had Boomer squish her several, several times over the years and this was nothing new to her. Though, how much Butch could handle was still up in the air. The lopsided smile on his face said that he truly wasn't that bothered by it- but he'd give the shorter Ruff hell nonetheless.
"Wanna get off me yet?" Buttercup asked her counterpart.
"If he'd get off, sure," he countered.
Boomer laughed and squirmed in his place on Bubbles' back, even though Butch's arms were there. "Mmm, I think I'll make myself nice and cozy, actually."
"Cuddle pile!" the lass laughed out.
It was Blossom's laughter from the doorway that finally made the four pay attention to anything other than their own little world on the couch. Brick was right next to her, both of his brows nearly in his hairline from how high they'd climbed.
"Join in, Blossie!" Bubbles cheered.
"I think we're fi-"
"I think I will, actually," the redhead said, cutting Buttercup off. Then, before she could argue, the pink Puff ran over to plant herself right on Boomer's chest, sitting as though it were just another normal spot on the couch and not on a pile of three bodies. Butch gave another groan- though this one significantly less dramatic than the one he gave for his brother. "Everyone's done packing?"
"Yep!" Bubbles and Buttercup both agreed.
Boomer gave the redhead a thumbs up from his spot.
Brick shook his head but couldn't keep working to stave off the smile from his face. It made his eyes much, much softer. "Butch?"
"Sugar packed for me," he wheezed out. "So we're all in the clear."
"Well, when you're all done," the redheaded Ruff began, pausing only to start walking back towards the door, "I finally found that volleyball net you all were looking for and set it up out here."
"Get off, I'm gonna kick your asses now!" Buttercup shouted and started getting up.
The movement pushed Butch directly into the floor and Bubbles fell with him, his arms still fully around her and keeping her from any real damage. Blossom was smart enough to use her powers to jump down and land on her feet, but Boomer landed on the floor in an awkward thump right nex\t to his brother and his counterpart.
"Last one out's a rotten egg!" the toughest Puff shouted.
"What are you, six?!" Butch yelled back.
"Seven, actually!"
"I might actually play just to kick her ass for this," Bubbles mumbled.
Late that night, well after the last of three full games had been played and the others had all gone to bed for the night, Butch and Bubbles were fully awake and sitting in the outdoor hot tub, enjoying the late hours of the last night they had here. The vacation had been very fun and relaxing for all parties involved- jet skiing, tubing, surfing, beach volleyball, the quieter little morning moments…
Bubbles had a glass of peach chardonnay in hand and Butch had a beer in his.
"I miss the kids," Butch softly admitted to her, his voice barely above a whisper.
Bubbles nodded and hummed her agreement. "I'm gonna be happy when we get them back from dad, that's for sure. It's been weird not hearing Coffee talk to me all day."
He got that oddly intense look in his eyes again, only this time it violently stirred the butterflies in her gut. "I don't know if you can teach something like that, but you should see if you can show me how to understand them, too."
She smiled shyly. "I can try my best, but I promise nothing. I'm not sure if I can teach something like that- but I can try."
"I think you can do just about anything you really want to." He grinned, took a drink from his can, and pointed to the mountains just behind her. "Subject change- I've got the electricians coming out on Tuesday."
Her brows went up and she smiled. "Oh yeah?"
"Mhm. Pipes are fine, I have to finish laying the flooring and painting the walls, but I'll probably be moving in soon after graduation if all goes well."
She smiled sweetly at him. "…can't say I ever expected you to be the first of us to have it all together enough to have your own place."
That odd look grew more intense and she could feel her cheeks warm. "Is that a bad thing?"
"Not at all," she whispered back, her voice caught in her throat.
He bit the inside of his cheek. She noticed but stayed silent, letting him have his moment to find the words he wanted to say. Though, when he spoke up, it was also just a whisper. "…could be our own place, if you wanted."
It felt like her heart was directly between her ears with how loudly she could hear her own heartbeat. "…are you asking me to move in…?"
Those eyes were a little hesitant in that moment, but he didn't back down. "I thought you wanted that room with a view, with a view ?"
His words were steady, but she could hear the tightness of his voice.
She bit her lower lip. Her lease was over at the end of April, but graduation wasn't until May twentieth. If she wanted to move in, she'd need to wait out her lease. It wouldn't be hard… but while she originally expected to just resign, it left her with a little bit of an awkward situation. She'd be without a place to stay for a while…
Not that she was literally without a place. Any of the other four in the house asleep would let her stay with them, and if push came to actual shove, she could stay with her dad for a while again. That much she knew without the shadow of a doubt. But that now also included Coffee, and she wasn't sure if any of them would be okay with a cat also taking up residence. Boomer would be her best bet, if she really needed it, but she wasn't too sure how he'd handle living with Coffee instead of just watching him for a week…
"Angel, please say something."
"Oh!" she exclaimed, pulled out of her thoughts. "I want to, yes. I was trying to figure out how I'd do it, though." She smiled sheepishly at him.
Relief relaxed his tension and he took another swig from his drink. "What do you mean?"
She took a sip of her wine, tossing her options around in her head. "I think I'll have to stay with Boomie for a while. My lease is up at the end of April."
He leaned back, understanding in his eyes. "Yeah, I don't think I can push it up any more than I have… You can always stay with me in the meantime, too."
She smiled and took another drink from her glass. "Are you sure about that?"
"I sleep better with you there." He shrugged. When she flushed, he grinned. "After being able to sleep with you for almost an entire week now, I can say that's a fact. We work well together, I get better sleep, you aren't an obnoxious roommate… I'm pretty sure."
"Why not, then?" She grinned back before she finished off the wine in her glass. Alcohol was usually burned off faster than their systems could properly process. They didn't stay drunk, and could only really chase the feeling that might last an hour or two at best thanks to the Chemical X in their systems. They could stay relatively light and tipsy for most of the night, though- and that was the fun of it. They could stay in the fun zone, in the bubbly and tipsy zone; they could stay just intoxicated enough for driving to be a no-can-do.
His grin turned into a smirk. "You're already agreeing to move in with your boyfriend of one week?"
"As if I haven't known you most of my entire damn life. As if you haven't helped save my life in several battles before." She rolled her eyes and laughed. "I would have agreed to move in with you as a roommate regardless of our relationship status, babe. I trust you."
Butch's eyes sparkled in joy and he fully reminded her of an excited puppy just by that look. "I like to hear you say it… but I think I like hearing you call me babe more."
She laughed brightly. Then, she lifted her right leg up to rest on his left thigh in the hot, bubbling water. The hand not holding his beer slipped back under the water to rub and massage her calf. Relaxed and filled with happiness, Bubbles couldn't think of anywhere else she'd rather be. "I can call you babe all you want." She winked.
He chuckled and shook his head. "Whenever you want to, I welcome it."
"You think it's weird we're moving in before dropping the L bomb?" she asked abruptly.
His brows furrowed and his eyes went up, genuinely giving it thought. "…no? Not for us, anyway. There's still time before mid-May, anyway, so who knows what'll happen between now and then. We haven't even finished March yet." He lifted his right leg to rest on her left thigh, which got a snort of laughter from her.
Much like he did, she lowered her hands to rub and massage at his thigh, though with her wine gone she used both of her hands. "You're right," she admitted, giggling when he puffed his chest out. "I will say that I really, really like the pace we're at, though."
He nodded, his demeanor relaxing for a much more sincere conversation. "I think it's just natural for us? We know each other and have known each other for most of our lives. We trust each other, we're willing to just go with the flow and let life take us where it needs us…" He finished off the last of his drink. "I just want us both to be happy."
"Mmm," she hummed, her smile wide. "I think we're definitely on the right path, if that's the case. I've been made incredibly happy just from you being around."
His cheeks pinkened and both hands came to massage her calf. "Oh yeah?"
"You spoil me," she sighed, as though it were the most romantic thing.
It got a chuckle from her boyfriend. "I'll spoil you all I can, Angel. Promise."
"And I'll spoil you right back," she winked, referring to the job she'd done packing both of their things.
He chuckled again and pulled his leg from her. His hands wrapped around her calf just tight enough to then tug her through the water, to sit on his lap. She straddled him- not necessarily his intention, but he wasn't complaining- and wrapped her arms around his neck. His hands rested on her hips and she sat there with a smile on her face all the while. "When do you want to come home, then?"
She ran her hands through his hair, her smile softening just a bit when he leaned into the light touches she offered. "Mmm… I think the week my lease is up, I'll start moving larger boxes of my stuff over."
"Larger boxes?" he asked, amused by the choice of words.
She shrugged. "Why not start now? I can bring some of my clothes over a little at a time," she teased, waggling her brows. "Maybe leave some behind."
"You're killing me," he exhaled.
She laughed brightly and he dropped his forehead to rest against her shoulder. His hands lowered from her hips to her thighs, the sensation of the slow caress bringing gooseflesh to the forefront. "…We joke a lot about it, and I don't know how you feel about it, but I just want the L-word to be at play," she said softly. His fingers twitched against her skin and she felt a shiver race up her spine- but did well to repress the physical response.
He didn't really move from his spot, though. Content to simply hold and be held, to touch and be touched, Butch didn't want to move from this little spot. The hot, hot water and the cool, crisp, seaside night air created a contrast in sensation, and the blonde anchored him. She held him down to earth when he needed it most, and lifted him up when he needed to fly. "You aren't a wait-until-marriage kind of girl?"
"Not really," she shrugged. "If I'm completely honest… I never really know if I'll survive the next monster attack. We do our best training and do our best to keep on the stronger side of things… But that's not guaranteed," she whispered. "My rule is that I have to genuinely love my partner- romantically, obviously."
He kept his hands firmly on her thighs. "I don't know how much I like the way that sounds, but you're not wrong," he admitted on a whisper. "You just let me know when you're ready, Angel. I just want you- naked or fully clothed."
She leaned her head against his, where it still rested against her shoulder. "You're also allowed to touch me," she said softly. "I wanna pinch your butt- it's cute. So you can pinch mine too."
He laughed warmly, his large hands moving back to her waist. "Alright, I think it's time we get back to the room. If you're getting handsy, I think you might've drank a bit too much."
She pouted. "You have a nice ass."
He pulled back and his cheeks were red but amusement was clearly written across his face. "I think you have a nicer ass."
Bubbles giggled. "I think so too- but your butt is, like, third of us six."
"Third?!" he gasped dramatically. "Who has a better butt than me?!"
"Buttercup," the blonde answered sincerely.
The green Ruff laughed. "Alright, that's completely fair."
"I'll grab the shower first," she whispered as she stood up and forced his hands to fall from her sides. "If you wanna put my jammies out for me?"
"Do I get to pick what's underneath?" He bounced his brows at her suggestively.
She rolled her eyes- but looked back at him with a playful sparkle in her eyes. "Not until I've fully decorated our new home."
His face softened almost immediately, his smile growing tenderhearted. "…you know what? I'll hold you to that."
