author's note: The song recommendation this time is Sugar by Sleep Token! :3c


Monday, May 10

Bubbles knew something was wrong when Butch didn't come home in time.

Ever since her dad sided with her boyfriend against her and demanded she get the most rest possible, he'd been closing the shop up at seven and making it back to his apartment by seven thirty. The latest he'd made it home by was eight- but currently, it was verging on nine. The ticking of the clock was starting to grate on her nerves and she was certain she was going to destroy that damn thing before it was brought over to their new home.

She knew it was likely just her own worries were causing her stomach to sink, but she couldn't sit still. Especially not when the cats both came up to ask where Butch was- why he wasn't home yet.

The blonde took a deep breath as she stepped out of the apartment they currently shared.

She pulled her fluffy blue bathrobe a little tighter around her, crossed her arms and gazed off at the well tended garden in front of the apartment building. Then, her blue eyes went towards the sky- looking for any sign of her boyfriend…

Nothing.

No man, no supers, no energy streaks, no monsters.

But her stomach kept sinking.

Something wasn't right.

She bit her lower lip and debated on exactly what to do in this situation. On one hand, she was growing more and more worried about her currently absent boyfriend. On the other, what if he got home before she found him? She'd probably be yelled at for heading out to find him, since she still only had her powers as a means of transportation.

Well, Butch's motorcycle was parked nearby- but she wasn't about to steal his baby like that.

He didn't always take his bike to work and it was more frequent to see him go to work on foot or by flight, anyway, so that alone wasn't cause for worry… To be fair, it being there did nothing to alleviate the worry, either.

While she wasn't sure exactly what was wrong or what was going on, she knew something wasn't right. The pit in her stomach kept widening, the sinking feeling continuing to drop further and further. She grinded her teeth and clenched the plush fabric of her robe in her fingers. Nothing had been on the news, no alerts had come through… But her gut feelings had never really wronged her before and she knew something was off.

Something was off, and she was right.

Finally, a streak of crimson in the distance lit up the clouded night sky followed by a blaze of unnaturally red hot fire.

Her eyes narrowed just when Boomer's cobalt streak followed just behind his leader.

Her hands shook ever so slightly. They'd taken over her patrol duties, yes, but that route had not changed since Thursday- and they shouldn't be in that area. Obviously, there was a monster attacking the city… Which left her with a serious issue- did she follow after them and get yelled at for doing so or did she stay put with the gnawing guilt of them having to cover for her? Butch wasn't home and while that looked far enough away to be clear on the other side of Townsville, she also knew he'd probably step in just to keep her from having to.

The blonde bit her lower lip.

Did she stay or did she go…?

A wiry, flailing, almost tentacle-like extension of deep green energy rising just over the horizon answered that question, though.

Bubbles ran back inside just long enough to grab Butch's keys and lock the door.

Unthinking of anything other than her next immediate move, the blonde didn't even think to change into more fitting attire. Instead, she got on his motorcycle, started it, and nearly peeled out in the parking lot when she took off . Her low pigtails whipped violently in the wind behind her, her robe's cincture came untied and left the plush blue fabric of the robe blowing behind her just as much as her blonde locks, and she had to hold her legs a little wider than usual because she only had her pajama shorts and tank top under it. If her legs touched the hot, hot steel, not even chemical X would save her from burns.

It was not exactly riding gear.

Not that it mattered to her. No, the blonde ignored everything (including the traffic laws, for the first time in her life) while her heart hammered in her throat… Or maybe it was between her ears with how loud it was. The lass paid little to no mind to the warm, humid air against her face. It was going to rain later, but it wasn't right at that moment and, therefore, she didn't care. Her grip was tight yet surprisingly steady against the handlebars; a surprise, especially when the worry and panic coiled in her gut was oh so plainly written across her face.

The sun only barely set an hour ago and Bubbles couldn't find it in her to enjoy the night ride as she otherwise would have. The only thing she knew was that she had to be there- had to get there.

His energy was never that wild.

She paid close, careful attention to the road in front of her and even went as far as to push her energy to her eyes to make her surroundings less blurry at her current speed. While aware of that minor difference, she was wholly unaware that she had subconsciously mimicked Butch's shield. Her streak of aqua blue was what made the police leave her be… Well, that and that she wasn't sure if she'd even come across one vehicle on the road yet . If she had, they were on an ancillary road connected to the one she was on, and not actually around her.

Thankfully.

Adrenaline made her blood race beneath her skin.

Panic kept her eyes wide and hyper alert.

But love (and, admittedly, a lot of worry) kept her resolve steady.

The glow of the streetlights could barely touch her before she was gone and outside of the light's reach, the passing colors only a distant acknowledgement in her mind's eye. Her primary focus- beyond the road itself- was the flickering wildness of that forest green energy growing closer and closer. Her aqua eyes kept looking between the road and the sudden spikes when his energy would rise higher into the sky. Just from the patterning, she could tell a large part of the sporadic nature of it was from active battle- though that still didn't explain why his energy had less form to it than usual.

And that made her stomach drop more.

A streak of red barely came to vision, leading her eyes upwards. Brick flew overhead in the same direction she was headed. He was ahead of her by a little ways, his hands burning with flames brighter than his eyes. He shot out a couple of energy balls before he sped up. It didn't escape her notice that his attack went further- beyond where her boyfriend was. Wherever Boomer went, she wasn't sure, but she knew he was close by from the thick static clinging to the humidity in the air.

So distracted by looking up to see the Ruffs, Bubbles almost missed her turn.

The blonde almost panicked more when she got dangerously close to the road, her knee maybe an inch away from the pavement, in one of the sharpest turns she's ever taken.

Luckily, she didn't wipe out because she kept as calm as possible.

She got upright once more, rode for just barely one second down the street, and then like a magnet she finally pinned the green Ruff with her eyes. Butch came into view from being thrown back from some unknown attack, his feet skidded and slid across one of the rooftops and sent shingles flying all while trying to stop his backwards momentum. He resorted to lifting off the roof, forest green surrounding his heels as he kicked into the sky, the energy surrounding him solidifying just a little more.

His already oil stained white tank top was stained crimson with his blood, his blue jeans had seen better days, and his hands clutched at what she assumed to be the bleeding wound on his chest. His face twisted into a pained sneer, one eye squeezed shut and the other narrowed at the monster- not once even glancing her way.

She barely saw that pained sneer turn into preparation and a bit of fear before he was slammed with what looked like a horned tail.

He was thrown down with such suddenness and force that the blonde almost felt like she was locked in time- moving with such sluggishness and slowness that she could have sworn quicksand would drag her down faster than his motorcycle was going. She didn't know just how fast his bike could go, but she was going to push it as far as it would go without breaking. Bubbles sped up faster, tears threatened to fall and a cry of his name trapped itself in her throat.

She barely managed to get under him before he hit the pavement.

She reached out just in time and grabbed the back of his leather jacket's right sleeve with her left hand, her right still firm and tight around the handlebars. His right arm grasped onto her arm less than a millisecond later. His head snapped back to look up at her with wide, shocked emerald eyes. His mouth fell open, but his foot lightly scraped the pavement and he seemed to remember the most important part of this whole ordeal: not hitting the road.

It was the superhuman strength from both parties that let her hold onto him long enough for him to get his bearings and hop onto the back of the motorcycle. Had either of them been anyone else, that would not have gone so smoothly.

"Don't yell at me for coming out here-"

"You saved my damn skin, I can't be mad." Bubbles' heart leapt into her throat as he wrapped an arm around her, her eyes stinging with unshed tears at his warmth and strength. I will not cry, she thought, her grip on the handlebars tightening even further, the taste of sweetened copper coating her tongue when she bit the inside of her cheek. I will not cry. He was there, he was safe, and nothing was going to happen to him. She would make sure of that. "Hang a left up here."

"Okay."

His hand around her stomach trembled ever so slightly and she worried that he was in too much pain- but he didn't do or say anything else. They kept their eyes peeled for the road to turn down where the monster would be located. While still moving fast, Bubbles had slowed considerably in order to be able to see clearer… And to be safer. Now that he was safely on the back of the motorcycle and the panic had all but fled her system when his arm wrapped around her, she needed to make sure they stayed safe.

When they found the road she turned down it- but stopped before they got too far.

Or, rather, got too close to the others.

The almost dinosaur-like monster was down, dead, and Blossom was talking to Boomer and Brick both. She could barely make out Buttercup looking directly their way, a ways off from the others and closer to the beast. The sisters locked eyes and the blonde held her breath.

However, 'Cup was nothing less than understanding and gave them a somewhat discreet shoo motion with her hands.

"Let's go home, Angel," Butch whispered, his breath hot against her ear.

She shivered and nodded. "Yeah… Yeah."

"Are you okay?" he asked, his chin coming to rest on her shoulder.

She backed them up with his help, as the moment he noticed her bare legs he'd completely taken over the physical side of it so she didn't accidentally bump the pipes and burn herself. Then, with a little bit of an immediate sharp turn, she turned them around and started the route home. "Now I am," she reassured, her nervous smile in her voice. "I wasn't sure I'd make it in time."

"How did you know anything was going to happen?" His tone seemed genuinely curious.

She shrugged and he grumbled at the movement, as it forced his chin- and whole head- to move with it. "I had a bad feeling. When I saw how wild your energy was, I didn't even think about it, I just kinda… Ran. Grabbed the keys, locked the door, then I just left."

He hummed and his lips connected with her jaw just beneath her ear. "I ain't gonna question it, I'm just happy you came."

She felt his energy wash over her, the beautiful feeling of home surrounding her like a cocoon she'd never tire of. It felt weaker than usual. She could feel that he was in some level of pain through it, but the sensation of him so completely around her always managed to warm her heart and stir the butterflies in her gut. She felt the tension in her shoulders finally ease some, her body relaxing into his hold just as much as her heart felt like falling into his hands.

He kissed her cheek twice. "We're gonna get you a bike that fits you. Soon."

She laughed almost soundlessly. "Good. This is a little too big for my liking. Even just sitting on it feels like it's a little too big."

"Saying my ride is too big to be between your legs?"

She barked a laugh and reached back to elbow him in the side, gently. "It's nothing I can't handle. Trust me." He groaned in exaggerated pain to play along and laughed just a second afterwards. The twinge that came through his shield, though… That wasn't entirely exaggerated, and was a lot harder to cover up. Her brows furrowed just a bit. "How bad are the wounds?"

"Not that bad, actually… I mean, I've got a gash but it'll be better in the morning."

"Babe," she prompted. Her tone said go on even if her words didn't.

He chuckled softly. His arm tightened around her just a bit more. "Promise that's all, Angel. I'm a close ranged fighter. A lot of it is soreness from already-healed bruises. Even if I got some bruised bones, I'm just gonna be sore for a while."

"Okay…" The lass sighed a little. "But you're getting a warm bath when we get home."

"Mmm… Wanna join me?" he asked.

Her cheeks reddened, her heart thundered, she had to shut her imagination off before it got beyond remembering his bare torso. She huffed and sputtered more than she actually answered. "I- Butch, you- You wouldn't be healthy enough for that even if you were dead serious, and you know it."

"Boo," he pouted verbally. His tone was a little airy, almost wistful, and it was strange to hear when he was obviously in so much pain. She felt that tremble of his hand again. A warmth from that hand, from his energy that she hadn't quite experienced before- but one she quickly placed as lust. It tingled along her skin, raising goosebumps and teasing her with anticipation.

Her cheeks warmed further, her blood racing. "You set yourself up for disappointment there."

"I don't think I was disappointed at all," he mumbled, placing a lingering kiss to the side of her neck. "You didn't say no."

"You're impossible," she huffed.

"Here's a secret," he started, leaning with her into the turn she took. "I can feel it in your energy, Angel."

She blinked and, finally made aware of her subconscious construct, felt her shield flicker.

It was imperfect and wouldn't have completely protected her if she'd crashed, but it would have saved her from a little damage. Butch's energy wasn't doing all of the pulling- he was just strengthening what she'd built with his own. He wasn't forced to over exert himself and she didn't have to strain her overused energy either. A win-win, really…

Yet it felt a lot more intimate than any time she'd ever combined her energy with her sisters'.

It felt like his energy melded with hers, leaving no defining lines behind where one ended and the other began. Aqua and emerald melted and shifted and combined to form a seafoam teal. She had to relax her grip on the bars and her hands trembled, the sudden awareness making her hyper aware of just how he surrounded her. Her cheeks stayed warm and the butterflies in her stomach went wild.

His left arm finally wrapped around her to match the right, further encompassing her and pulling her robe closed for her. "I think I might get addicted to this feeling too, you know."

Her heart thundered harder in her chest and she could only imagine what exactly it was he was feeling from her. Though, honestly, knowing that he felt anything at all made her both a little embarrassed and made her heart flutter just a bit more. It felt so incredibly intimate to be complimented on her energy- in any capacity- and she quickly realized just why he felt the way he did last time they were on a ride. Her lips pursed just a bit in a bid to remind herself to talk.

Pay attention.

Shield.

She used the shield.

Her voice was choked when she finally spoke up. "I… Didn't realize."

His arms tightened around her. "What were you thinking of when you headed our way?"

"You," she answered honestly. The word hung between them despite the moving air.

His hands trembled more noticeably. She wondered, briefly, if he was even trying to hide it anymore. "Me? Just… Just me?"

The blonde just nodded. "Just you. And making sure you were going to be alright. Nothing else mattered- like, I even kinda broke several traffic laws along the way."

His arms tightened around her center despite their trembles, his breath fanning out against the back of her neck. "And when's the next time we're required to move?"

"Tomorrow, when you go to work," she answered simply.

He groaned. "I'm suddenly off tomorrow, oops…"

She snorted. "Well, ignoring your work- not until we decide to, I suppose."

Butch hummed, but that was the extent of his response. He rested his chin on her shoulder, pulling her just a tiny bit closer to him. Bubbles kept them on the road and kept them afloat despite his insistence and moving her. She didn't say anything, knowing that- realistically- he probably needed as much time as he could get in order to come down from the fight's adrenaline high. She kept her eyes on the road and, on the way back, decided to follow the traffic laws.

The glows of reds and greens- and the occasional yellow- from the stoplights did little to disturb the silent but intimate moment between them.

Nothing but the rare passing car, the open road, the wind, the cloudy night sky and the few stars between them. Nothing but nature, nothing but the world's nightly calm there to try and interrupt the continuous sharing of emotions between the two. Lust faded for something softer, something gentler. Something so, so much more fulfilling. Her chest hurt from just how tender it was, how cared for she felt. It was more affectionate than anything she'd previously felt and it left her feeling both completely barren and absolutely wrapped up in him .

It stole her breath away.

Butch stole her breath away.

They never had to talk in each other's company. There had been several nights where nothing was said between them, watching television or reading or just laying and enjoying the companionship. Butch tended to get antsy without some energy outlet, though, so he spent a good portion of his day in the shop. Yet even when she stopped by, she could just sit around and give him silent company- which she usually spent staring, unashamedly so, at his muscles while he worked. They never had to talk. Conversation was the cherry on top, sure…

But they'd had their silent moments before.

This was a different thing.

It was a different type of communication.

He was silent while she drove them into the parking lot and didn't move even after she killed the engine. The sudden stillness after the intense and panicked quick movements earlier almost felt like whiplash in a way, but she found that she didn't want to move. Her energy retreated back into herself, the blue from the shield fading and leaving behind his faint emerald energy shield, but she wouldn't move. Not when he held her so tightly, so desperately. Not when it was clear that he needed this moment more than she did.

"Is it selfish of me to ask that we stay this way a little longer…?" he whispered.

She shook her head and leaned back against him more. "It's not selfish. Not at all."

"…Would you be willing to pull that shield back up?"

The blonde flushed but let just enough of her energy come to her palm to bathe them in a faint aqua light. Then, she rested her hands on his arms still wrapped around her torso. His breath hitched and she hummed, content. She didn't hesitate to bare her emotions, her feelings about him, and let him feel just what she did. Just how she saw him. Yes, it was a little unintentional when the shields were active… But this was him actively and openly asking for her to bare her soul to him.

And she didn't hesitate.

She didn't know how she managed the shield before (she'd worry about that later), so while it wasn't exactly what he asked for, it also was.

They stayed there, under the single streetlight, his shield shrinking in on them and her energy coloring his forearms aqua. Silent, calm, and content to just exist in one another. Time didn't matter to them. They were perfectly content to stay there, even as the clouds finally dropped a light, gentle sprinkle on them. They still sat there for a moment longer, letting the cooling rains dampen their clothes. There was only so much that could be blocked by a flimsy, half-assed energy shield, after all.

"I need you to know that you're my happy place," he whispered, leaning his head against hers.

"You're my home," she whispered back.