AU: Just an idea that's been brewing for a while. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.

Summary: "It doesn't matter what we are, or what we're capable of, we're still just teenagers." A raw anecdote that hopes to humanize kids who've never had the luxury of being mundane, and show how illusory invincibility can be.

Disclaimer: A few characters are mine. The rest of them are Craig's, but I own these words :)

Rating: R/Fiction M. They're teenagers. Sex, drugs and profanity are not unprecedented.

Pairing: PPG/RRB

Notes: - Inspired by the legendary "More Than Human" by sbj and the urge for representation.

- Strong themes.

Here's one for you "Halloween episode" lovers. Enjoy! :)

VI - I Put A Spell on You - Zed

"Snails lay eggs through their fucking heads?" Butch said, his face bespeaking how utterly strange it felt to say that sentence out loud.

Harry nodded excitedly as he scrolled down on his phone, he was huddled beside Butch, both of them staring at the webpage. "Deadass, you know their mucus is good for your skin too?"

Butch lifted his eyes from the screen to Harry's giddy visage. "Is there a reason why you spend most of your time searching up dumb shit like this?"

"Why don't you? Bro, there is some utterly sick shit that goes on around us." he replied with chortle. "Chill, let me show you the dude with the world's longest tongue." he continued, undeterred as he rapidly clicked on his phone.

"It's a dude? That's less exciting." Butch said, shaking his head in disappointment as he munched on his burger.

Beside them on the lunch table, Bunny silently munched on her fries, looking up intermittently to the line as she waited for the others to get their food.

When she raised her eyes the third time, Bear was already by the table. He plopped down beside her and immediately willed one of her fries into his mouth.

She caught it in the air, before it'd entered his mouth fully, he quickly bit down and took half of it in anyway.

Bunny chuckled and threw the other half into her mouth. She found herself still looking at him as he popped his soda open.

"So, what's up with the party?" he asked. She nearly jolted, thinking he'd caught her staring.

"We wearing themed costumes for our performance?" he followed up, taking a sip.

"Nah," she recovered, then rose a confused brow at him. "I sent the whole layout for what we're supposed to do to the group chat yesterday, didn't you get it?"

"Oh, probably didn't open it." he said, picking up his phone to rectify that mistake.

Bunny... paused, then found herself suppressing a scoff. "Of-course you didn't." she muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing." she replied instantly.

Bear gave her a weird look, but he didn't seem to catch what she'd said, so he just refocused on his phone.

Bunny bit her lip lightly, almost in self-admonishment for her passive aggressive comment. Her eyes lingered on Bear as he scanned through the chat.

"This is tight, unsurprisingly." he nodded, looking back up at her with a smile.

She managed a smile back, watching as he threw some of his own fries into his mouth. Then, before she could stop herself...

"Where were you yesterday?"

Bear's looked at her, brows risen in question.

"Like, I just noticed you weren't online for a while, and you know, you usually are, by that time." she elaborated.

"You mean after school? I was at the library." he answered simply.

"By yourself?"

"Naw, with Blossom,"

Bunny's lips thinned.

"Turns out she and I have a few things in common." he finished.

"Oh... you guys are like... cool?" Bunny toned.

"I guess, she's... cool." he shrugged with a snicker and picked up his soda.

"Holy shit! Nigga, you gotta see this." Harry laughed and nudged Bear repeatedly, eyes on his phone. The latter turned to entertain him as Buttercup and Pablo returned to the table, trays-in-hand.

Bunny turned to her food as Pablo took his seat on her other side, she munched on some fries, swallowing the sentence that'd been bubbling in her throat along with them.

Oh how Bubbles hated it, when the music inevitably faded out from the speaker. Unfortunately, she could do nothing about it when Boomer spun her one last time and she whirled back into his arms, reflexively clasping her fingers in his as their dance came to end.

Coming face to face with that damn simper. Her lips instantly opened up into a smile that mirrored Boomer's, then he kept her there. They stared at each other, smiles threatening to split their faces, before a round of applause arrested their attention. They turned to find Billy and Susie clapping gleefully from their positions seated by the wall-length mirrors.

The blondes smiled in appreciation before separating and veering their eyes away from their friends to a smiling Ms Bellum, standing beside the dance instructor, who equally had a satisfactory grin on his face.

"So, what's your verdict, Julian?" the mayor inquired.

"I dare say he's even better." the dark haired man answered.

Boomer beamed.

"That settles it then." Ms Bellum said, eliciting an excited "eep" from Bubbles as she grabbed Boomer's arm, the latter chuckled fondly at her enthusiasm.

"So Boomer, I trust you're already abreast with the nature of the event yes?" Sara inquired, Boomer nodded.

"Good, you're in good hands with Julian, and if you're unclear about anything, I'm sure Bubbles would be glad to get you up to speed." she finished, turning to Bubbles who nodded vigorously.

Satisfied, Ms Bellum bid them a farewell, requesting Julian to follow her to discuss. Billy and Susie sprung up immediately the adults stepped through the doors.

"I need an explanation right, now!" Susie demanded as she crossed the dancefloor.

"Seconded," Billy assented. "Where the hell did you learn to dance like that?" he asked, facing Boomer.

The ruff looked down at Bubbles and realized she was waiting for his answer as well.

"Well, to be honest—" he shrugged with a wry smile, "—from a relative."

Bubbles arched a brow. "A relative?"

"Yeah, my uncle, he taught me in freshman year."

"You uncle's a dancer?" Susie asked.

"Yeah, he was on So You Think You Can Dance—" he paused to nod at their surprised expressions. "—and I've always thought he was pretty cool, so when I watched him on TV I was like, I have to learn how to do that."

"So he full on trained you?"

He nodded at Bubbles. "When he got knocked out and came back home I literally begged him to teach me, quite pathetically even, you could say. But you can't shame the shameless."

That earned him a round of laughs from the rest of them. "Well, he definitely did a good job." Bubbles giggled, and Boomer's smiled mirrored hers to a slightly more bashful degree.

"Must be nice, the talent in my family ends at my dad being able to twirl spaghetti holding the fork with his mouth." Billy grumped.

"Dude, that's the coolest thing I've ever heard in my life." Boomer replied with a laugh as they made for the exit.

"You guys want to go to Blacktop? Haven't had their hash browns in a minute and they're the best." Susie offered as the four of them burst outside the studio, heading towards Billy's car.

"Ou! We have to, they just added some vegan dishes to their menu." Bubbles assented, then looked up at Boomer—who she still had linked in her arm. "Which I'm forcing you to try, by the way."

"You've always been the boss." Boomer replied, nodding obediently to which Bubbles chuckled, and Boomer felt a little heat gather at his cheeks when she looked away.

"I cannot believe I let this happen." Brick said, looking at his reflection in the bar mirror with severe regret.

A purple haired Boomer popped up behind his shoulder with a grin. "A deal's a deal, and come on man, you look so devious what do you mean?"

Brick's face dropped even more. "Devious huh? Fuck me." he grumped and veered for the kitchen, flipping his cape behind him.

Tonight was Joey's Halloween party, and the boys were getting ready to step out, all four of them.

As was custom, Brick had propagated to his brothers that he'd rather drink cow urine than go to the party with them, but in doing so, he'd forced Boomer to resort to drastic measures.

"What is it gonna take to get you out of this house?" Boomer asked, floating above a laid down Brick whose face was hidden behind a novel.

"What are you even doing in my room?" the redhead replied without looking away from the book.

"Is this what you plan to do for the next two years? Sulk by yourself like nobody else exists?" Boomer said with a frown.

"It's working so far, the only lacuna in my plan is trying to find a way to block you guys out too." Brick replied in a jaded tone.

Boomer floated down to the floor, frown prevalent. "You can't keep this up you know."

"Watch me." Brick said, flipping a page.

Boomer stared with contemplative eyes, trying to deduce a way to convince his excessively misanthropic brother to join him on Saturday. The past ten minutes of convincing hadn't worked—which he'd expected—but now he needed to try a different approach.

And only a few seconds went by before a cunning smirk crept up to his face.

"Okay then, I'll stop bothering you." Boomer started as he began to walk towards the door. "Oh, by the way, is it cool if I tell Butch and Bear something?"

"The hell are you asking me for?" Brick said, lowering the novel to reveal an arched brow.

"I mean it's something about you, you know, your secret fear." Boomer said with a malicious grin.

There was a brief flicker of panic in Brick's eyes, but he composed himself just as fast and scoffed. "Yeah right, stop talking out of your ass."

"Oh, so you're saying you're not scared of—" Boomer started before zipping beside Brick and finishing the rest of his sentence in a whisper in his ear. By the time he was done, Brick's eyes were wide with trepidation.

Boomer finished and stood straight, a smug look on his face. "After all we promised no secrets right?" he said and once again started for the door, "I think it's only right our brothers know about—"

He was cut off by Brick zipping out of his bed and blocking his path right as he was about to reach for the doorknob.

The fury in Brick's visage was almost causing him to physically exude heat as he glared at Boomer. "Don't even think about it."

"Can't watch me all day man." Boomer replied with a mocking yawn.

Brick's face fell. "Dude, you can't be fucking serious?"

"Come to the party with us and I won't tell a soul," Boomer offered with a grin. Brick only frowned deeper in return, but Boomer knew his lack of a decline meant only one thing.

He let out a victorious laugh. "We got a deal then, I know the perfect outfit for you man!" he exclaimed in glee and giddily brushed past Brick. The latter let the sound of the door closing behind him resound in his head before heaving a groan of defeat.

That was two days ago, and now Brick was reaping the consequences of the blackmail he was under.

"Look at the way you flip the cape man, you're a natural." Boomer chortled as he bounded into the kitchen behind Brick.

Brick was in a vintage Dracula costume, he'd allowed Boomer his shenanigans with styling his hair as well, but he'd warned his brother that any attempt to get him to wear fangs would result in a blade in his eye.

"Looking hot bro." Butch chuckled at Brick who threw him a warning glare as he opened the fridge, he turned his attention to Boomer and rose a brow. "Who are you supposed to be?" he asked as he gulped some booze from his flask.

"Are you kidding? I'm Future Trunks, from Dragon ball Z." Boomer answered and animatedly weaved a few hand-signs, before bending into a stance and pulling out his fake sword from his sheath.

Butch blinked perfunctorily at the tip of the sword pointed at him, unimpressed. "Sometimes I think, 'there's no possible way Boom can get any lamer', and then you prove me wrong, every single time."

Boomer scoffed, his inveterate grin signifying his disinterest in Butch's opinion. "At least I'm not basic and predictable. This is what? Your third time as Jason?"

"Don't fix what ain't broke." Butch answered simply, shrugging as he pocketed his flask and pulled down his hockey mask, a perfect replica of the one that lived rent free in the nightmares of young children. A few adults too, probably.

"A'ight, let's jet. You guys ready?" came Bear's voice as he appeared in the kitchen doorway.

"Who's this sexy son of a bitch?!" Butch and Boomer echoed exuberantly.

Bear blinked behind the gold-rimmed glasses that were currently placed on his face. "Didn't we all watch Black Panther together?"

Boomer's eyes lit up in recognition. "Oh yeah! This was like Killmonger's first outfit or something?"

"Mhm." Bear hummed a confirmation as he shrugged to adjust his denim jacket. He turned to Brick just as the latter was approaching him. "You're coming?"

"Don't ask." Brick mumbled as he walked past him to the front door, Boomer quickly followed.

"Dude don't get your cape stuck in the splinters!"

Bear fell into step behind them, Butch propped up beside him. Bear reflexively sniffed and turned to him, "No way you're already drunk?"

Butch laughed and pulled up his mask as he reached for the flask. "Getting there."

The boys could actually see Joey's house while they were still in the air, it was evidently his considering the number of people they saw flocking there.

They lost sight of it as they descended deeper into the suburbs, with Bear and Boomer leading the way. The girls were already on the sidewalk waiting for them by the time they landed.

"Ouuu! You got the sword and everything!" Bubbles squeaked, gleaming at Boomer's costume.

"Me? You make Usagi look like an imposter!" Boomer replied with a laugh as Bubbles spun in her Sailor Moon costume, looking all too familiar in pig-tails.

"What am I witnessing?" Bear said with visible discomfort as he watched Boomer and Bubbles gush about each other's costumes.

"Just look away politely," Bunny said with an equally disturbed smile, shifting her eyes to his outfit. "Boy, you are so lazy."

"You smell that?" Bear suddenly inquired, mildly sniffing the air. "Smells like insecurity."

"Want to say that again?" Bunny said in a coltish tone as she pointed one of her fake guns at Bear's face. Bear faked a shiver and she chuckled before placing the prop back in her holster.

"I'll admit you pull this off almost too well though." Bear said with a grin.

"Zazie's shaking in her boots." Bunny said as she shook her hair—left untied to breathe in all it's glory—around her face. Bear chuckled and let his eyes have another once over at her Domino costume, down to the makeup over her left eye.

Bunny glanced over Bear's shoulder—which was made easier in her own boots—and seemed to take a second to pause, before going...

"Nice costume, Brick."

Brick looked up, shocked to hear his name. He was standing a little ways behind them, listlessly surveying the appropriately decorated houses in the neighborhood before her voice drew his attention.

"...thank you." he managed, after failing to come up with any other response. Bunny gave him a friendly smile in reply, before returning her attention to Bear.

It felt kind of strange, Brick realized, to have her speak to him. In-fact, he just then recognized the fact that he'd actually never spoken a word to her prior to that moment. He actually hadn't exactly spoken to any of them, barring Blossom.

Speaking of.

His eyes roamed away from Bunny and locked right onto said redhead, who didn't even entertain him long enough to hold his gaze. Brick suppressed a scoff and equally averted his eyes.

"Well, this isn't pretentious at all," Bear said to Blossom with a teasing smirk at what he recognized as her Wonder Woman costume.

"Shut up." Blossom replied with a coy smile. "Bubbles is the one responsible for this anyway." she sighed, sounding very much like someone who'd been coerced.

"She's got the right idea, can you imagine how Susan B started rolling around when you put that on?"

"You're not funny." Blossom riposted, but let herself down with a laugh.

Bear released a laugh of his own, oblivious to Bunny looking between him and Blossom with a blank expression.

"I don't remember Wonder Woman ever wearing pants you know." Butch said, suddenly squatting beside Blossom's legs with a bawdy grin.

Blossom's knee found his nose before he could blink.

"God, that felt so good." Bunny said thankfully.

"It's okay—" came Butch's pained voice from the floor as he tendered to his nose. "—I'm okay with the shoulders." he finished with a weak Thumbs Up. Blossom was on the brink of planting her heel in his nether region when a voice pulled everyone's collective attention.

"Alright, let's get moving people."

They all turned to see Buttercup finally exit the house. She floated over to them after she shut the door, landing beside Blossom.

"Whoa..." Boomer mumbled in awe. There was an ardent look in Bear's eyes as well as they fixated on her.

Butch slowly picked himself up from the floor, still lightly reeling from the impact his nose had suffered, by the time he dropped his hand and looked at Buttercup, his jaw followed.

Buttercup barely acknowledged their stares as she adjusted the shoulders of her purple suit and blew some hair out of her face, hair that was now fully tinted green.

"You guys done with the fanboy gawking?" she said with a perfunctory look at Bear, throwing Butch—who's mouth still hung open—a weird look.

"Dude, you look fucking sick." Bear finally said.

"Who knew Joker would look better as a girl?" Boomer joined in. "Even your make-up is nuts."

"I did that! Just saying," Bubbles chimed in, looking at Buttercup with a proud beam.

"I've got to say, it came together way better than I expected," Blossom said, equally admiring her sister's costume.

"Well shit! Okay, whatever, let's get going." Buttercup said, but it came out a little less assertive and more flustered.

Bunny was suddenly behind her in a flash, a teasing smirk across her face as she leaned in on Buttercup's shoulders. "What's this? All this white face beat but your cheeks look a little pink—"

"Let's fucking move already!" Buttercup blurted before she finished and began to stride forward. Bunny laughed and fell into step behind her, the rest followed. Bear lifted Butch's mouth close as he joined the rest of them.

Brick stood stoic as the group moved, intending to trail the rest of them. Just before Buttercup moved past him, she met his gaze and he instantly saw shock in her eyes, he guessed she was expectedly surprised he was there, but just as quickly, that shock morphed into what looked like rage.

No, it was more... disgust.

He didn't have any time to dwell on it as she passed by him quickly, thought even at that, he still felt her eyes on his back.

He joined them when they'd all advanced past him, walking closest to Butch, whose inner DC fanboy was still mesmerized by Buttercup's costume. His eyes floated over to the girl herself, and he briefly wondered the reason behind her venomous look at him, but that thought evaporated as quickly as it brewed.

If she held ill-feelings towards him, then the feeling was mutual, he thought with a soft scowl as he once again swept his eyes across the area as they walked towards Joey's house.

The group ran into Mike and Robin on the way, and Harry further down the area. His house was close to Joey's so it was barely a three-minute walk once he joined them.

Joey's house was relatively big for one in the suburbs, probably the only one bigger than the girls' in the district. Numerous cars were lined up along the street leading to his place and the music was pulsating so vibrantly it could be heard softly even six blocks away.

By the time they got to the door, Mitch was already waiting for them, red cup in hand.

"We're on in four minutes for fuck's sake!" Mitch grumped, or at least tried to, he couldn't stop laughing. Most of the group pinned that down to the content of his cup. Butch was on the same wavelength, and instantly zipped past Mitch into the house when he caught sight of a girl in a rabbit costume.

"Where's Kim?" Bunny inquired when she got to Joey's front porch, Mitch walked with her as he answered, Bear, Harry, and Buttercup all tailing them.

Bubbles instantly dragged Boomer in the opposite direction. Mike and Robin followed them into the living room, where a drunken, boisterous Joey could be heard welcoming Mike loudly.

Blossom hesitated, feeling the unease of the unfamiliarity of this scene before her settle in. Then just as quickly, she realized she was standing alone with Brick.

His eyes passed over the teeming people, engaging in everything from vaping to making out on the stairs. The only word to describe his face was "irritated", at the mere fact that he was actually in this house right now.

By the time his eyes shifted down to her, she was already halfway to the living room.

Brick weaved his way into the kitchen, with intent to get a beer. If he was lucky maybe he could find a spot somewhere where he wouldn't feel suffocated just standing on his own. There weren't any other people here besides two, a guy who was in a lackluster werewolf costume, and the girl he had pinned to the fridge.

"Move." Brick said pointedly once he reached them.

The guy turned back, equal parts shocked and ticked off at someone disturbing the work he was putting in on the girl's neck. Upon meeting Brick's eyes though, the ruff didn't need to repeat himself before they were making for the door.

He opened the fridge and scanned for a Schlitz. His eyes had just landed on one when he saw someone stride into the kitchen from his side-eye. The person was actually heading straight towards him, he turned to look at them properly and...

"Pablo! I think Aaron wants one too!" came a projected voice from outside the kitchen.

"My hands can only carry three bottles." Pablo answered, brushing some lint off his jacket.

His white, stone studded jacket, that was worn over a button-up shirt, which was opened up to reveal his whole chest, covered in beaded jewelry. His equally white pants and star-shaped tinted glasses completed what was a... look. The definition of a head turning costume, Brick thought.

"Um, hello? Aren't you getting a drink?"

Brick blinked, realizing he was still blocking his way to the fridge.

"Oh, sorry." he apologized and slowly shifted aside after getting his beer.

Pablo gave him a weird look and moved to fetch a couple beers himself.

"Dude, hurry up!"

"One thing you're not going to do is rush me!" Pablo retorted, but nevertheless, he was now walking back towards the living room with three beers in hand.

It wasn't until he was gone that Brick realized his eyes had been following him, his outfit. Looking at it, he deduced the boy—Pablo, yeah, that was what the person yelling had said—came as Elton John.

Brick's attention was deflected towards another pair of people bundling into the kitchen. They were a lot less subtle than the couple he'd scared off, the guy very quickly had the girl on the kitchen island, knocking some empty beer cans to the floor.

Brick took that as his cue to leave.

Most of the party people were in the backyard, enjoying their opportunity of a luxury Ravenhead mini-concert. The rest were littered between the karaoke room, bedrooms, and the living room—which was where Bubbles and Boomer currently were.

It was perfect for them since this is where people were mostly just dancing, and they both subconsciously enjoyed any chance they got to show up their peers.

"I WANNA LAST, WANNA LAST FOREVER! I WANNA DANCE, WANNA DANCE ALL NIGHT!"

The blondes bellowed out the lyrics along with most of the living room as they bopped around exuberantly. Bubbles could barely keep it together as she and Boomer swerved and popped their hips in unison, on beat with the song.

She was starting to work up a bit of a sweat, but that was easy to ignore with all the fun she was having.

"BABY BEND OVER, BABY BEND OVER! BABY BEND OVER, LET YOUR BOOTY DO THAT YOGA!"

Bubbles wooed along with the rest of the room as the song drained out, she was still laughing in her post-dance high when two shot glasses were shoved in her face,

She followed the hands holding them to find Boomer grinning impishly at her.

She chuckled and gave him a look that said, This Is Probably A Bad Idea. His grin just grew more encouraging.

Another chuckle escaped her lips before she plucked both glasses out of his hands, and threw them both back at once.

Her face mildly contorted in both distaste of the alcohol's harshness, and amusement at Boomer's pleasantly shocked face.

"Well damn Powerpuff!" he laughed along with Bubbles as she looked around to dispose the shot glasses. Boomer took them back and sped off in a literal flash, three seconds later, he reappeared, now faintly scenting of alcohol himself.

"You're a horrible influence!" Bubbles raised at Boomer over the music.

Boomer only raised his finger to signify to her to wait, she waited a beat, and then Boomer started belting out the chorus of the next song in unison with the rest of the room right as it started booming out the speakers.

Bubbles could only keep laughing as he started dancing in-front of her again.

Butch chuckled as he coltishly patted the guy sitting beside him on the bathroom floor on the back, who was coughing so hard he had tears in his eyes.

This particular bathroom had been colonized by Butch, and those who were lucky enough to get in before he locked it.

There were five of them here, including himself. He knew the two other guys from the basketball team, and according to them, one of the two girls here were from cheer. The last girl here was definitely someone he'd seen before, she was one of his teammates'—Rodney, if he remembered correctly—friends, and put bluntly, it was easy to tell was very clearly not into penises.

He thought he'd probably seen her hanging with Kim somewhere in school.

"Keep telling you you ain't no fucking chain smoker bro." Rodney chuckled at the boy Butch was patting, taking a hit of the joint as it was passed to him.

"This shit is good," the dark haired girl from cheer said with a dragged out laugh.

"Butch's been here for—cough—two months, and the asshole—cough—already knows where to get the unholy stuff." the second guy managed to say, with audible difficulty.

Butch snickered at the his comment as he passed his joint to the dreaded girl beside him.

"You friends with Kim?" Butch asked pointedly the instant she took it from his hand.

The girl looked up at him—he was the only one sitting on the toilet—with a slightly raised eyebrow. His lidded eyes simply blinked at her.

"I wouldn't say friends," she answered. "She's just chill, I guess."

"Chill? I remember things being pretty hot between you guys."

"Shut it fish-dick." the girl riposted, as Rodney laughed and fist bumped the guy slumped against the wall next to him.

Butch put two and two together, before raising his eyebrows in an Oooh...

"Why'd you come back?"

He looked up, and realized the question had come from the other girl.

It was almost like he couldn't really see her, the bathroom was a little smoky and they could still hear the music thumping beyond the closed door. Add the obvious fact that he was high as a kite right now, and it wasn't exactly strange that his focus was all over the place.

"What?" he replied after a beat.

"Like you and your brothers, you guys are you know... pretty 'popular' around here. Considering all the drama, I'm surprised you guys came back."

"You are one nosy bitch, you know that Ashley?" Rodney smirked as he collected the joint.

"What? No, I'm not trying to pry or whatever. You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

Butch snickered. "You guys are pretty dramatic about that shit around here."

"Bro, one day you guys are literally ripping open ATM's, the next you're pulling up to the school car park." the other guy ventured—Butch was seriously struggling to remember his name.

"Can't expect people not to be curious." the girl—now identified as Ashley—said.

He received his joint back from the dreaded girl before looking at Ashley properly, and now that he thought about it, she looked kind of familiar too.

She was a brunette, with softly defined cheekbones and thick eyebrows. The angle at which she rested her head also made a bit of her hair fall over one eye.

Then it hit him.

His first day at THS, in the halls on his way to Ms Keane's office, it was her. She was the one who'd caught his eye.

He suddenly got very, very excited.

He fought the bawdy grin that wanted to crawl up to his face and answered her question. "Sorry to bore you guys, but we just came back cause my mom got work here."

"Really? So it wasn't even you guys that wanted to come back?" Ashley asked.

"Not exactly, but we weren't gonna let her turn the job down just 'cause we got a weird past here."

"Your mom seems like a badass man, when she adopted you guys it was crazy!" Rodney said, lightly bouncing his head in tune with the music.

"Hey man, I don't want to pry either but, um... your brother," the other guy started.

Butch arched a brow as he toked on his joint.

"You know, Bear. Is she the one who like... you know what I mean."

"Nah bro, she just dipped him in a pond at the top of a hill and chanted prayers till his eyes turned purple... dumbass."

Rodney hacked out a laugh, and Ashley soon followed. The second guy frowned at Butch, who'd clearly just dented his ego.

"Dick."

"The biggest there is." Butch replied proudly with a big grin.

"Why didn't you guys just go to Liberty then?"

This time, it was the dreaded girl that finally spoke again, after the laughter died down.

Butch turned to look at her. "Too pretentious." he replied, facing the ceiling to blow out smoke. "Besides, a little birdie told me THS got the monopoly on hot girls—" he let his eyes come back down, locking them with Ashley's "—he knew what he was talking about."

"Yessir!" Rodney assented as the other guy laughed.

Meanwhile Ashley and Butch were now gripped in each other's eyes, and when she gave him a less-than-innocent smile, he allowed that waiting grin finally find its way up to his face.

"You could at least pretend you're having fun."

Blossom looked up at the voice and saw Buttercup sauntering towards her. She slumped into the chair beside her and offered her a red cup, Blossom shook her head. Buttercup dropped the second cup on the snooker table beside them and chugged hers.

She dropped it as well when she was done, and was instantly met with Blossom's judgey gaze.

"Let it rest for just one night Bloss', just one." she said perfunctorily.

"We're way too young to be drinking." Blossom chided.

"We're way too young to have been fighting monsters to within inches of our lives since we were five, but here we are."

Blossom refrained from giving a retort, and instead turned back to the party scene with a shake of the head. She'd gone outside after the living room got a little too crazy, at least here everyone had been occupied with the band, so she'd been able to find a seat behind the small crowd and settle down.

They were done now though, at least until Ravenhead was ready to start playing again. There were a lot of people in the pool now, some had gone back inside while others occupied themselves with drinking games on the ping pong table.

Joey's parents must have been doing very well for themselves, Blossom thought.

"This guy couldn't look trusting even if you put him in a white robe."

Buttercup's voice pulled her from her musings, she looked to her and followed her line of sight to see Bear, standing with Brick over at the small elevation where the band had performed.

Blossom reflexively frowned, Buttercup mirrored her expression, which weirdly looked strange on her, though her costume probably had a bit to do with that.

Brick separated from Bear then, looking to go back in the house. To do that, he would have to go past the snooker table.

Blossom shifted her eyes away from him the instant he began walking their way, Buttercup did the opposite.

Just like earlier in the night, Brick opted to ignore her as he walked past them, pausing just before he slid open the glass door that led back inside the living room. He already knew what he'd find when he turned around, but he turned regardless.

His eyes met Buttercup's malicious gaze from over the snooker table. "You got something to say?"

Everything about him just screamed it, the cold look in his eyes, the birse in his voice. Ever since she'd talked to Blossom she'd began to pay more attention to him, and his exterior just fit too well with the image of him she now had in his head.

And she wanted to tell him, wanted to boot him off that high horse that made him think he was impervious to blame. When she opened her mouth to speak, she felt a hand on her arm, she turned to see Blossom looking at her with beseeching eyes, eyes that told her to let it go.

It was funny, a couple weeks ago they were technically on opposite sides of this matter. Now that Buttercup was aware of what Brick did, she completely understood why Blossom had been so inflamed by Brick's holier than thou attitude, and she hadn't even confronted him about it.

She sobered at Blossom's expression, remembering she was the one who wanted her to drop this in the first place.

She turned to issue Brick a scowl regardless, Blossom's eyes tepidly shifted his way as well.

Brick flicked his eyes between them with a jaded visage, before scoffing and making his way back into the house.

Bear plopped down beside Bunny on one of the pseudo-beach seats some meters from the pool, said girl was smiling at the phone in her hand as she took a video of Mitch laughing as he flopped in the water—fully clothed.

He'd probably had a little too much of the giggle juice.

Bear took a big sip out his red cup and passed the rest to Bunny when she was done.

She shook her head. "I've definitely had enough." she tittered. "I like to... keep my head quiet."

Bear nodded and threw the cup to the side, not interested in indulging anymore himself.

"Don't you want to go get jiggy." Bunny teased, pumping her shoulders to the music and bumping him playfully.

"For the sake of our friendship, I'm going to pretend you didn't just unironically say jiggy." Bear replied, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. "Why aren't you in there sweating?"

"Probably will be later, just wanted to catch a breather after the set." she answered, watching as he puffed some smoke out into the air.

"GUYS! GUYS!"

They both turned to the screaming voice, but were met with a regular scene of drunken teenagers splashing across the pool.

"Wasn't that Mi—" Bunny started but was cut off by Mitch springing up from under the water. He'd actually sprung up so hard and fast that he splashed enough water their way to get on their clothes.

"I fucking got you guys!" Mitch guffawed, clearly extremely pleased with himself. Bunny was so taken aback that she actually laughed, Bear simply inspected his cig to see if it'd had gotten wet.

"Yo, so I was thinking, for our next performance, we should wear like... dragon costumes, with a volcano in the backdrop."

"Damn, that sounds sick." Bunny chuckled, deciding to entertain him.

"Right?! Bear could make us float above the crowd and shit it'll be crazy!"

"You know what's up man. Next band meeting we'll let everyone in on the plan." Bear joined in, grinning as he took a drag.

Mitch laughed again. "Man, I'm so fucking smart." he said before dropping back into the water.

"Well, he's defo having a good time." Bunny chuckled.

Bear hummed his assent as he dried his glasses on his jacket. He put the cig to his lips again before turning to Bunny, who had her head dipped back and eyes closed.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Nothing, just thinking."

"About what?"

She opened her eyes slowly, taking a second to turn to him. "Everything." she answered with a smile.

Bear took another hit as he stared at her, there was this distant look in her eyes all of a sudden.

"Hey," he said, Bunny rose her eyebrows. "Kinda random, but, have you talked to your dad?"

He didn't need to expatiate about what in particular, she instantly knew exactly what he was talking about. It'd been over a month since they'd had that conversation at the coffee shop.

Eventually, she opted to just shake her head.

"Is it okay if I ask why?" Bear asked tentatively, holding his cig limply as it burned to the air.

Bunny stared at him for a few seconds, then shifted her eyes towards the pool. "I just... I guess I just wanted some peace." she started. "The whole thing's just so frustrating, it's been bugging me for years, and with how fast everything happened it was almost overwhelming."

She paused, turning back towards him to find his purple orbs glued to her.

"I'm so mad at him." she said. Bear blinked, getting the feeling she wasn't done.

He was right.

"I'm so mad at him," she repeated with a laugh, a strange laugh that didn't sound like it held any amusement in it. "Not all the time, but it's always at the back of my head whenever I look at him. I try not to show it 'cause... well I guess I'm not sure why. It's been pointless in the past, so maybe I'm just not confident it'll be different this time."

Bear continued to hold her gaze, letting his cigarette drop to the floor.

"I'm sorry." he said, genuinely, wishing he could answer her questions, all of them, any of them. The thought that he had information that could at least aid in settling her crossed his mind again, but now seemed even a worse time than that afternoon.

It didn't take a genius to see the only person she could talk about this with was her dad, the person she deserved to hear it all from. Him and...

"Is that why you haven't tried to see my mom too? 'Cause you just can't deal right now?"

Bunny blinked at him before directing her gaze back up to the night sky, looking like she wasn't going to answer.

"Yeah." she eventually breathed out.

"I feel you. Though... you know you're going to have to face this at some point Bun'?"

"I know," she replied. "Until then."

Bear's eyes were still on her, but her eyes remained loyal to the stars. He looked down to the cigarette he'd abandoned, which was still lit funnily enough. He snuffed it with his boot before looking up to the pool, taking a few moments to let the sight sink in. From the people still flopping around the pool to those who busied themselves with some of the games Joey had placed outside.

His orbs settled on the pool, and he began to move his fingers in an upward motion. Several drops of water levitated from the pool towards him, when he was surrounded by them, they slowly began to drift towards Bunny.

She was confused when several droplets of water suddenly mixed in with the winking stars in her vision.

"What—" she started, but was cut off as it, literally, began to rain on her. She sputtered out some of the water that'd gotten into her mouth as Bear laughed.

Bunny punched him on the shoulder, then punched him again, and again.

"Stop it!" she raised with a laugh. Bear obliged, deciding he was satisfied.

Bunny made a show of kicking him lightly once her personal mini-storm ceased.

"I fucking hate you," she chuckled, swiping some water out of her eyes.

Bear smiled at the sight of her laughing, then he remembered something.

"Hey, I have an idea."

"For what?" Bunny inquired once her face was relatively dry.

"For the band."

There was a collective uproar as the next song began playing, Bubbles had worked up a real sweat, and despite the fact she was having so much fun, she really wanted to take a breather. Not to mention the fact that she'd done two more shots.

"I'm going to the bathroom!" she said to Boomer, projecting over the music.

"You're going to let me give them this heat on my own?!" he replied, and Bubbles laughed as her eyes flicked behind him.

"Actually, I think you'll be fine." she ensured, and Boomer didn't even fully turn around before he was basically jumped by someone.

The blonde laughed in elation once he turned around to see Billy, and not a second later they were joined by Susie and two others from Drama.

Bubbles laughed again at the sight before slipping away almost unnoticed, no doubt she wouldn't have been allowed to if Susie caught sight of her.

She navigated her way through the crowds and emerged outside the living room, mildly tired as well as a little tipsy, she decided against floating and ambled her way up the stairs instead.

She made to the open the first bathroom door she reached, but it was thrown open just before she grabbed the knob.

Bubbles was a little taken aback, but recovered quickly as the occupants began to file out.

"Dude, where's the kitchen again?" said a boy who Bubbles thought she recognized from the basketball team, the same for the boy who trailed him.

"Hey," the girl who came after them greeted Bubbles. The blonde barely opened her mouth before the girl walked past her.

Coming after her though, was finally someone who Bubbles recognized.

"Hey Ash—" she started, but stopped when she realized Ashley was... occupied.

Ashley stumbled past her, giggling into the kiss she and Butch were locked in, she grabbed him by the wrist when they separated, leading him to one of the rooms.

Well, okay then, Bubbles thought as she slipped into the bathroom.

"Oh," she uttered when she shut the door, coming face to face with the residual smoke still drifting in the air. "That makes sense."

She let out a big exhale and made her way over to the sink, sliding off her gloves and placing them on the mirror cabinet.

Right when she was about to open to the tap, the bathroom door swung open. Bubbles jerked and reflexively turned.

"Shit! Sorry I didn't—" the person froze, and so did Bubbles.

She allowed herself a second or two to blink at them, before quickly turning back to the tap.

"Oh... it's you." Kim muttered.

Bubbles simply splashed some water on the face and turned the tap off, grabbing her gloves.

"Bubbles..."

Bubbles ignored her as she slipped her gloves back on and made for the door. Upon reaching it, Kim quickly shut the door, and refused to step aside.

"You can't keep ignoring me." she said, resolute.

Bubbles slightly widened her eyes in shock before hugging herself in her arms and averting her gaze.

"I don't want to do this."

"Bubbles, please, I just want to talk, like really talk." Kim pleaded.

Bubbles' gaze remained on the bathtub, her lips slowly curving into a frown.

"Give me a time frame if you want, ten minutes, five," Kim continued. "Please just listen to—"

"If I remember right, I was asking you to talk all summer. You're the one who told me it'd be pointless, you're the one who stopped answering my calls, and you're the one who said I should, and I quote, "let it be over". "

Kim had almost backed into the door, disquieted by Bubbles' outburst. And it was only when Bubbles settled down that she realized it was an outburst in the first place.

She enveloped herself back in her arms and peeled her eyes away from Kim's. "I'm sorry, I—"

"You don't have anything to be sorry about," Kim interjected. "You have every right to be angry."

Bubbles made an unintelligible sound that Kim didn't catch. She wanted to ask, but instantly decided against it, not wanting to risk saying the wrong thing right now.

So she ended up not saying anything, and neither did Bubbles. The faint thump of the music colored the silence, with Kim growing more anxious by the second.

When Bubbles opened her mouth to say something, Kim quickly jumped in again.

"This'll be the last time, just let me talk to you, if you don't ever want to talk again after now that's fine, I swear.." she blurted, with what sounded like a touch of desperation. Bubbles picked up on it.

She shifted her gaze back to the pinkette, whose eyes almost looked glossed over. She lightly sucked her lip behind her teeth, her eyes falling to the floor again as she muttered something.

"What?" Kim asked, not catching this one either.

"Okay." Bubbles clarified, louder, slowly raising back her eyes. This time it looked like they would stay raised.

"Okay, okay." Kim exhaled, linking her fingers together to give them something to do. "I, um... I thought you were coming as a dark angel?"

"I was, but, I heard about your costume, so..." Bubbles answered, thining her lips

"Wow, okay." Kim said with a small laugh, brushing her elbows against the cotton of her Archangel costume. Bubbles simply stared at her, Kim's tiny smile disappeared.

"I'm sorry Bubbles." she blurted. "I know how fucking lame that sounds, but I mean that. I said... I said some horrible things to you, things I didn't mean, things I regret everyday. Every, single, day. I know I'm the reason we're, you know, where we are right now, but I want you to know that I don't think you're an—"

She paused, realizing she was unable to even repeat the slur, the way Bubbles' face dropped as she spoke was another motivator to keep that term out of her mouth.

"—I was such an asshole for saying that." she said instead. "There's no excuse for that, you know I just... I was just jealous, and I got clouded with that jealousy and..."

Bubbles was trying so hard to keep it together, she hoped she managed to keep her exterior stable, she hoped Kim didn't notice the way her hands gripped her arms, or the way she kept her eyes from blinking once she felt them start to get moist.

"... it was irrational of me. I was... I was just scared of losing you, so scared that I ended up pushing you away myself." Kim said, reaching down to the bottom of her heart to draw out these words. She allowed herself a second to take in Bubbles' visage, and took a tiny step forward, tentatively.

Bubbles felt her body give the slightest jerk, but her feet remained planted in her position, she wanted to move, she wanted to, but...

"I was too stuck up to realize what I'd be losing. My best friend, my favorite person..."

Kim took another tiny step, Bubbles let her eyes fall to the ground.

"...you're one of the best things that's ever happened to me Bubbles, and I'm so sorry I took that for granted. If you let me... I won't let it happen again, I promise."

Bubbles felt the slight heat from Kim's closeness before she felt her fingers slowly brushing up her arms.

"I miss you so much."

Her voice was so close, she was so close. Bubbles had wanted to step back the instant she stepped forward, but her feet couldn't move. She had almost forgotten what this feeling was like, of Kim's hands caressing her arms, hands that now slowly drifted down to her waist.

Still, Bubbles didn't move.

"I miss you so, so much." this time Kim's voice had dropped into a whisper, and Bubbles felt her body press against hers.

Something was screaming at her to pull herself out of Kim's hold and leave the bathroom, but she ignored it, willingly or circumstantially, she didn't have an answer to that.

Bubbles loosened her arms around her torso, and pokily slid them up onto Kim's shoulders, her eyes still down as her breathing got quieter.

"Just say the word, if you want me to stop..." Kim breathed.

There was still that thing, that thing that ticked at the back of Bubbles' mind, telling her to leave, but it wasn't that easy. Maybe it was a culmination of a lot of things, the unresolved emotions, the nights where Kim was the only thing that permeated her mind. Hell, maybe even the booze, too. She was light headed for a lot of reasons in that moment, but one thing that she just couldn't shake no matter how blurry her mind was, was that...

She missed her too.

Bubbles felt Kim's soft lips lightly press against hers, tenderly at first, then with a little more confidence, more assertion. And Bubbles let it happen, in-fact, she was the one who swiped her tongue against Kim's lower lips, lips Kim parted instantly, then they really started kissing.

In one swift motion, Kim reached a hand to the knob behind her and locked the door, and a gasp escaped Bubbles' mouth as Kim dug her arms under her laps and carried her onto the mirror counter.

Buttercup stood and made her way over back to the house, telling Blossom she needed to use the ladies room. The contrast between outside and inside—the living room, particularly—was more immense than she expected, she didn't even know how people were breathing in here.

She slid the door closed behind her and shouldered her way through the gyrating crowd, she actually had to make use of her of her Night Vision to weave her way through, with the winking lights an annoying obstacle. She eventually got through the horde and scanned her surroundings, when she saw a guy barge into a door under the stairs—holding his mouth like he was seconds away from regurgitating his lunch—she decided to go upstairs.

She guessed—hopefully correctly—that nobody would be actually using the bathroom, that's not really what they're utilized for at parties anyway, so she decided to X-Ray the bathroom doors she came across, hoping that the potheads would be somewhere else.

Again, she really hoped she was right, otherwise she was risking putting some very unwanted images in her head.

She X-Rayed the first bathroom, and her eyes immediately widened. She didn't need even a second more, her pupils reverted back to normal instantaneously as she turned away from the door.

She was two things then, one was disgusted, she was definitely disgusted. The other was... worried.

She didn't even register the couple of people who walked past her, her eyes peered at the wall opposite her, then moved around aimlessly as she contemplated on what she'd seen behind that door.

Now that she thought about it, she should have just knocked.

A few more seconds passed where she just stood there, having an inward battle about what she could do, should do and shouldn't do.

Buttercup let out a groan, who was she kidding, she had never even understood all the complications behind that whole situation. But her gut, her gut told her what was happening in that bathroom shouldn't have been, and that she should do something about it.

Yet another few seconds passed, and some people who were loitering on the halls began to direct weird stares her way. She sensed them and looked up with a glare, making the two guys she'd caught staring suddenly very interested in their red cups.

Her face softened a tad when they looked away, she looked over her shoulder, back at the door, without her X-Ray vision this time. She blinked, huffed a sigh of helplessness, and started to head back downstairs.

"No, no, no, not on my watch!" Robin reprimanded, swiping Blossom's phone out of her hands.

"No!" Blossom exclaimed, looking up in horror and raising her hand in vain as Robin held the phone out of her reach. "I've been stuck on that level for days! I was just about to beat it!" she bleated.

"You're at a party Blossom—"

"Not by choice."

"—you're not supposed to be spending your time here playing—" Robin paused, taking a look at Blossom's phone, "—stacktopus...?"

Robin turned back to her with a look that said You've Got To Be Kidding Me.

"What? It's stimulating, do you know that on average people who get to the seventh level are proven to have a higher—"

"It's even worse than I thought," Robin cut her off with a groan, shaking her head in exaggerated disappointment, with an equally exaggerated folding of her hands. "Do you even know how to have fun?"

"Just because my definition of fun differs from the teenage norm doesn't mean I'm incapable of it." Blossom pouted.

"Yeah?" Robin said as she plopped down next to Blossom. "Prove me wrong then, let's go inside. Have you actually done any dancing since you got here?"

"You know I don't know how to dance."

"Please, most of the people in there look like they're having body spasms, nobody cares."

"Why aren't you with Mike anyway?" Blossom said in an attempt to deflect the topic.

Robin turned and pointed immediately, Blossom followed her hand to the elevation where the band had performed. Harry was sitting on the grass, helping himself to a blunt he shared with someone Blossom didn't recognize, in-front of them—laid down on the grass—was Mike, who was quite clearly passed out.

"Oh," Blossom uttered. "I, I didn't even know he—"

"Drinks?" Robin completed. "He doesn't."

There was a change in Robin's tone when she said that, Blossom noticed. She didn't sound angry exactly, but she didn't sound particularly pleased either.

"So... what happened?" Blossom asked slowly.

Robin puffed out a breath, flicking here eyes upwards and back. "It's a lot of things, his grandma she's... they don't think she's gonna make it. His mom's not taking it so well, you know? And all this is coming after his dad's... announcement."

Blossom didn't need her to say more than she wanted to. She knew that Mike's grandma was hit with cancer some months ago, and that his parents had been separated, but they'd been apart for a long time, so the "announcement" Robin was talking about was probably the fact that Mike's dad was about to get remarried.

Blossom hadn't really talked to him in a while, and though he was closest to Bubbles amongst she and her sisters, she still felt bad for not noticing that there was a lot affecting him right now.

"I understand that he's got a lot on his plate... but that's one of the reasons I'm here. Being a supportive girlfriend feels a little meaningless if he won't even talk to me." Robin said, her eyes locked onto her unconscious boyfriend across the backyard.

"You know Mike better than I do, but I know him enough to know he doesn't take you for granted," Blossom said solemnly. "Maybe you should give him some time, it can't be easy for him right now." she finished, with what she hoped was convincing advice, seeing as she lacked any experience in the field of dating, in every sense.

"And convince him there's healthier ways to deal?" Robin said, Blossom followed her gaze to Mike again.

"Yeah, probably that too." she assented.

"Hey Hey!"

Both girls veered their heads to see Bunny approaching them, dragging a reluctant looking Bear along with her. They greeted her back as she reached them.

"Can one of you help me convince Bear to come inside and dance?"

"Won't work, save your energy." Bear asserted bluntly.

"A partner!" Robin exclaimed and sprung up. "I've had no luck with Blossom either. Want to leave them out here to talk about Shakespeare or something?"

Blossom frowned. "Hey!"

"Yes please." Bunny obliged and let go of Bear's hand, to which he breathed a silent sigh of relief.

"By the way, is Mike okay?" Bunny said to Robin in a lower voice once they'd linked their arms together and started for the house.

"Don't worry about it." she replied, waving it off.

Blossom's eyes tepidly followed them, still locked on Robin in offense.

"Look in thy glass, and tell the face thou viewest."

Blossom shifted her eyes from the retreating girls to Bear, whose hand was held out in a melodramatic manner.

"What?" she asked, perturbed.

"Now is the time that face should form another," he continued, and now Blossom got it.

She found herself grinning. "Are you serious right now?"

"Whose fresh repair if now thou not renewest." he fired on, raising his second hand.

"You sound ridiculous." Blossom said, chuckling at said ridiculousness. She couldn't believe he'd actually started quoting one of Shakespeare's sonnets.

"That's not what we're doing?" Bear grinned, putting his hands down and jerking his head behind her. "Wanna play?"

Blossom's chuckles faded as she turned, she almost forgot the snooker table was here.

"Oh," she said, turning back to him. He arched a brow, waiting. "Sure." Blossom answered with a smile.

She stood, shifting her chair to the side as Bear walked around the table to fetch the cues.

Boomer excused himself from his friends and headed to the kitchen. He huffed a breath as he shrugged off his jacket, it wasn't as though he was going to get much—if any—kind of refreshment with how humid it was in here, but he was starting to cook in the living room. He tied the arms of the jacket around his waist as he strode in, already cooing subconsciously at just the thought of some cold water right now.

He released a noncommittal chuckle when he sighted a guy passed out at the foot of the door, then wrinkled his nose when he stepped over him to enter the kitchen. One head scan confirmed that the vomit in the sink was responsible for the stench.

Joey definitely wasn't going to have a fun Saturday cleaning this place up.

"Aw, come on." Boomer moaned when he came face to face with the fridge, that had been emptied of all its contents barring some beef jerky and a half-empty jug of milk.

He blinked at the milk, he could quench his thirst, but in the process, he'd probably be sobering himself up. And just like that, it was no longer an option.

He groaned again as he closed the fridge, he arced his head up in mild frustration, then thrummed his lips together and double-slapped himself in the face.

The cooler in the living room was empty, maybe there was one upstairs? Or maybe in the attic? Did Joey have an attic?

Well, he was going to have to find out now.

He slipped back into the living room but headed away from the crowd and towards the stairs, he saw Buttercup at the top, on her way down. Seeing her made his mind flash to Bubbles, and now that he thought about it, she'd been gone for a while.

"Hey, Buttercup."

She looked up, he'd called her right as they were about to go past each other, she hadn't even been looking at him.

"What's up?" she asked.

"Nothing, just Bubbles said she wanted to use the bathroom, but she's been gone for a minute, you know where she is?"

Buttercup blinked at him, oddly hesitant. Boomer rose a brow, confused at the pause.

Buttercup made a sound, it sounded like a scoff but he wasn't really sure, and she had already resumed her descent downstairs when she answered...

"Making bad decisions."

Huh? Boomer thought, staring at Buttercup's retreating back in befuddlement.

His eyes followed her till she veered into the kitchen, then they shifted around aimlessly, then he swiveled them up the stairs.

He waited a second, then resumed his ascent. He was met with one group of people at the end of the hall that looked to be playing cards, which he found strange, and another two guys who were probably drunk at the other end of the hall, blocking a bedroom door.

Boomer couldn't tell which door was and wasn't a bathroom, but his guess directed him to the one that was slightly smaller than the rest, the one right in front of him.

He stared at the door, and kept staring.

"Making bad decisions." Buttercup's statement echoed in his head again, and suddenly he forgot the actual reason he'd even come upstairs.

There was this abrupt feeling that tugged at Boomer's chest just then, he tried to shake it off but it seemed to linger and cause him some discomfort.

'This would be such an invasion of privacy' he thought to himself.

What was he even talking about? He asked himself, but a tiny voice told him he knew exactly what he was asking.

But what were the odds? He might have been overthinking this, just between Bubbles' mood recently and that... awkward moment with Kim in the halls a couple weeks ago.

That couldn't...

His head went silent, he must have looked dumb now, just staring at the door, luckily nobody seemed to be paying attention to him. Eventually, he steeled himself, despite how mushy his chest suddenly felt,

"Okay... okay... okay!" he said and activated his X-Ray vision before he could stop himself.

That feeling in his chest suddenly developed an intermittent pang, that was more piercing than blunt.

His eyes refused to pull away, as though taking amusement in exacerbating the harsh pricking sensation. They watched Bubbles' hands grab two fist fulls of that pink hair, watched her dip forward, probably to maintain better friction between their... while both their dresses began to ride up and—

He practically threw his head away from the door and almost walked directly into someone in his attempt to get out of there, he wanted to be anywhere but there right now.

"Sorry." he said mindlessly, barely hearing the guy's response as he ambled down the stairs. Just like Buttercup, he didn't even look up as he made his way down the steps.

'Stupid' he thought 'You're so, so stupid'

Why was that? He couldn't really trace it right now, he just knew it was true.

"Boomer."

What the fuck was this feeling for fuck's sake? He felt like a can of soda, that was being rapidly gulped by the seconds.

"Boomer."

But he thought... they'd gotten so close, so fast... and he just thought that—

"Boomer!"

Boomer's eyes widened as he felt someone pulling his shoulder back. He blinked when said person successfully turned him around enough to face him.

Billy blinked back at him, brows knotted in confusion.

"You're leaving?" he asked, and Boomer swept his across their current location, realizing he'd been subconsciously heading straight for the door.

He focused his eyes, only really looking at Billy now.

"I just need some fresh air," he said, not even being able to feign a smile.

Billy's frowned just deepened. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'll be back." Boomer answered, sliding his shoulder from under Billy's palm.

Billy only watched with a look that had shifted from confusion to worry, as Boomer shut the front door behind him.

He was welcomed to some actual breeze out here, his pores thanked him greatly at the refreshing sensation that overcame them, in contrast to the suffocation they were enduring inside.

It helped that he was just in a tank top too.

He wasn't so crazy about the breeze himself though, the cold only thickened the feeling in his chest, that now felt like it was slowly, and agonizingly, seeping down into his stomach.

He swiftly put his jacket back on, zipping it up to boot, not caring that his skin was still damp with sweat. He pocketed his hands and began his stride towards the street, he caught something in his side eye, and turned to see a guy and a girl making out against the tree in the lawn.

With what seemed like the customary guy passed out behind them, near the flower beds.

A sarcastically toned laugh escaped his cords, then he went dead quiet, and turned the other way.

"Done it to yourself again haven't you?" he muttered, eyes downcast as he dragged his feet along the sidewalk.

Why was he surprised, Kim was Bubbles' ex after all. He didn't understand anything about their relationship, or anything about Bubbles, apparently.

But it's not like it was her fault he put all those stupid ideas in his head, he'd only really gotten to know her for just over two months.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

He gritted his teeth, his hair curtaining his eyes as the word echoed in his head.

Before his mind transitioned to a more visual approach of torture and bombarded him with flashbacks of the scene he'd just witnessed behind that bathroom door.

The music from the party was still audible three blocks away, so in a flash of blue, Boomer decided to zoom off, as far away from that street as possible.

He stopped still within the suburbs, on the sidewalk of a random street, but that didn't matter to him. He could hear nothing but the deceptively silent wisp of the night here.

Seemed most of the people living around here were either going to, or had gone to bed.

His hands were still pocketed, and his gaze returned to the ground.

"What the hell am I doing?" he said to himself out loud.

Was he really going to leave the party like this? Because of that? All his friends would notice.

Yeah, his friends, including Bubbles.

Friends.

However, they'd also notice his mood change just as easily if he went back.

And for once, this wasn't a feeling he had the energy to shake off, or mask, and he didn't want them asking him any weird questions.

He didn't think he'd have any answers for them anyway.

So with a firmed resolve, he took another step forward and continued in the direction away from the party.

He just... wanted to go home now.

"So, why'd you even come here?" Bear asked, and potted a ball.

"To appease Bubbles, she's been trying to get me to one of these social functions since summer. Blue," she answered, and bent into position to play the ball. She potted it.

"Think it has anything to do with you calling parties 'social functions'?"

Blossom rolled her eyes, smiling. "What about you? You don't seem interested in this social function much either."

Bear laughed at her wry use of the phrase, Blossom's smile grew a little more bashful.

"Well besides performing, obviously, green—" he called, shot, and missed the pocket. "—I guess I came here cause my brothers came too. Boomer wouldn't have let any of us stay home regardless."

"What would you be doing instead if he did?"

"Writing some music, or some poetry, or maybe catching up on some Virginia Woolf."

Blossom looked up with wide eyes, missing the pocket.

"You read Virginia Woolf?" she asked.

"Mhm," Bear hummed, amused that that was what seemed to make her miss her pot. "Read about four of her books, if you haven't read 'Moments of Being' by the way, you should. I think it's by far her most underrated work."

Blossom watched him pot a ball in silence, before picking a pocket to attempt another one.

When she'd made suggestions to Mr Zuberi for books he should appeal for integration into the school English curriculum, even he hadn't known who Virginia Woolf was.

"Bear."

He looked up right before he pushed his cue. "Yeah?"

"How did you get so interested in books and poetry?" Blossom heard herself asking. "If you don't mind me asking." she quickly added.

Bear took a second, then straightened to look at her properly, her grip on her cue looked tender all of a sudden, her eyes focused, very focused.

He pocketed one of his hands and spun the cue between his fingers in the other, eyes off to the side as he tried to constellate an answer.

"Well, it was my mom who got me to start reading books," he started. "My mom was kinda struggling financially when I was little, so we were living in a pretty dodgy area."

"Where'd you live?"

"In New York," he answered. "So, people being people, treated us like shit—not all of them, but most—mostly cause of me and my powers."

"Even at work, the teachers and some of my classmates... they just couldn't keep their fucking mouths shut," he continued, tone falling slightly. "So I got into trouble, frequently, when I heard or saw people saying shit about us. One day my mom talked to me and... she said she wasn't happy about our situation either, but that we were in it anyway, for the moment at least."

"She told me not to worry about her, and offered me a way to ignore our reality a little, and learn new things at the same time."

"Books, of course." Blossom said, her lips curling up into a dinky smile.

"Yeah," he confirmed with a small smile of his own. "I remember when I asked how books could help me do that she said, "Reading gives us somewhere to go, when we have to stay where we are, it's the only way to travel without moving your feet". "

Despite the fact they were just a few meters from the house, and could still hear the music clearly, it was like everything went quiet when Bear was done talking.

This wasn't anything grand, at least that's what she told herself as she stared, he was just the first person she'd met who was also a fan of Virginia Woolf.

'And vintage poetry, and abstract illustration, and—'

"I actually found out about Virginia when I started getting into poetry, I saw one of her quotes that really resonated me even if it was so simple." Bear said, interjecting her thoughts.

"Which one was it?" Blossom asked softly.

Bear's eyes locked onto hers, and his smile broadened just another tiny bit as he answered...

"My mind is nothing but wails of poetry, serenaded with whispers of madness."

"Oh..." Blossom said, although no words actually came after that, so it didn't really feel like a sentence. "That's... that's a good one" she finally managed, forcing her eyes away from Bear's, who had all but locked her with his gaze.

He did that a lot, made direct eye contact, in a way that was so brave it was almost a little intimidating.

"Yeah, so, that's my geek origin story." Bear grinned, holding his cue properly again as he made to line up his shot.

Blossom couldn't help but smile as she watched him pot the ball. Every time they talked he surprised her, she'd have never thought he was such an artistically knowledgeable person, at least not in depth. But she found out something new about him from every conversation.

A thought abruptly hit her then.

"You shouldn't curse by the way."

Bear halted with his cue pointed at the pocket he was going to declare to shoot in, eyes shifting back to Blossom. "What?"

"That's the first time I've heard you curse. You're eloquent enough not to, so... don't, it sounds distasteful on you." Blossom said with a lightly admonishing tone.

Bear stared at her a second in faint disbelief, then released a throaty laugh. He was still chuckling as he bent down to line up his shot. "You're so cute Blossom."

It was a rarity that Blossom didn't always have some sort of theory that undergirded virtually everything she saw, read and did. But here she was all of a sudden, logically gobsmacked at why the smile Bear gave her when he missed the pocket and looked up—after saying that—had a different effect on her from the previous ones that'd been directed her way.

She couldn't even articulate the effect itself.

"So," he said, bringing her back to Earth. "What's your geek origin story?"

Blossom realized her cheeks were warm, warmer than usual, and she hoped she was one; wrong about what that probably meant, and two; that Bear didn't notice.

"Well... I—" she started but was cut off by her phone beeping, she pulled it out, straightening once she saw Ms Bellum's name on the screen.

Having exhausted all their enthusiasm for the living room, Bunny and Robin decided to head to the second living room. Yeah, the second living room.

This room was a lot less uproarious than the first one, and a lot more... cloudy, literally. That probably explained the contrast in the vibe, and why virtually everything edible in sight had been exhausted, from the long cake to the bowls of punch.

The people here still managed to keep themselves entertained though, as one would immediately notice upon entering. Most of them had their attention fixed towards the middle of the room, where a small makeshift stage was circled by the couches, containing the audience who were gleefully hailing the ones performing some karaoke on said stage. The lyrics were projected on the wall just behind it as well, for good measure.

Bunny smiled as she caught sight of them and immediately linked her arm with Robin's and pulled her towards the stage.

"This isn't gonna end well." Robin chuckled.

"All the more reason we should do it." Bunny replied with a grin.

"Babies!"

Both girls swerved at the voice, simultaneously brightening when they traced it to a gleeful—and clearly drunk—Pablo, who sprung up and bounded towards them.

Bunny quickly registered something and formed a link with Pablo instantly. 'Don't ask about Mike.'

Pablo did well to maintain his giddy visage when her voice abruptly sounded in his head, still beaming without a smudge of fault as he reached them and enveloped both of them in a hug.

"You ladies here to steal the show?" Pablo said, noticing they'd been heading towards the stage.

"I mean, this place could use a performance, and I'm feeling generous." Bunny smirked.

"You guys are really going to make me do this?" Robin said.

"Yes." Bunny and Pablo echoed as the latter locked her other arm in his, just as the round of applause for the girl leaving the stage pervaded the room.

"You guys want to go next?" the girl said, holding out the mic.

Pablo took it with a thanks, dramatically opening his arms to the amused applause he got from the intoxicated mini audience.

"You'll thank me later," Bunny said to Robin, retrieving another mic and handing it over to Robin, who knew arguing was fruitless at this point.

"Miss Jagger! Lotto Boyz!" Pablo projected to the boy who looked in charge of the music. He gave a thumbs up and set the song in.

Bunny knew that one, Robin knew it too, she was amongst the people that Bunny had indoctrinated into the world of Afro Pop.

A dim smile found its way to Robin's face, probably from the unwavering stubbornness of both her friends. She knew they were trying to make her feel better, and if she was being honest, it was working.

The song started up, followed loosely by some encouraging wooo 's from the crowd. Right at at the end of the intro, Pablo, literally, spun on his heel to face Robin, and started belting out the lyrics.

Just the sheer sass in his movement and confidence as he held the mic was enough to get Robin to laugh. He sashayed behind her, leaving his hand on her shoulder while the other held out his mic for Bunny—who jumped in to bellow out the rest of the first verse.

Robin was caught between feeling considerably embarrassed, and uncontrollably cheery as they all but caged her between themselves.

In the end, it was the latter that triumphed as Robin sharply interjected Bunny—diving into the chorus even more excitedly than either of them had.

Pleasantly surprised, Bunny and Pablo brightened even more at her change in disposition, and the spike in their energy showed it.

By the end of the song, the three of them were bellowing out the song and dancing in very disorganized fashion.

Robin yelped as Pablo wrapped his arms around her and picked her off the floor when they were done, while Bunny stepped up to the front of the stage and coltishly dropped the mic. They were met with roars of approval from those seated in the room—including a few more people who'd come in midway through their performance.

The noise only died down once they made to leave the stage, nobody came after them as well, perhaps as a way to acknowledge that the trio had fittingly closed off the Karaoke section for tonight.

"I was born for this if I'm being honest," Pablo heaved, placing his fingers on his open chest with a grin.

"Well there's no way you're joining the band, I'm not having you steal my shine sis." Bunny ventured.

"Guys,"

They both turned to Robin, who's smile was plastered on her face.

"Thank you." she said. "I know you guys did this to cheer me up."

Bunny linked their arms again and returned her a beatific smile, Pablo raised his fingers to his puckered lips and blew her a kiss, and Robin's smile grew even wider.

Bunny's phone beeped and rudely interrupted the moment, she pulled it out in initial confusion, then reflexively unlinked her arm from Robin's when Ms Bellum's name appeared on the screen.

After this last bottle of Schlitz, Brick was getting the hell out of here. He'd only stayed this long to appease to Boomer, who he now couldn't even find anywhere.

For the moment, he was keeping himself vaguely entertained with the karaoke section of the party. Though he wasn't particularly impressed with the lackluster renditions he'd seen, but he was willing to give the people the benefit of the doubt since most of them were likely drunk.

He was on one end of the room, leaning against the wall besides the only dispenser in the whole house that was actually filled with water. He was halfway through his beer when Bunny and company got up on the stage.

His eyes tepidly shifted to them, then the boy—Pablo—he'd seen earlier as he kicked off the song. Brick's eyes lingered for a few more seconds before he saw someone approaching him in his peripheral vision.

He turned to see Buttercup with a customary scowl that was thrown his way, but rather than him, she was actually heading for the dispenser.

Brick's eyes slimmed in contempt, watching silently as she fetched herself a cup and stood on the other side of the dispenser to drink.

They both watched the performance in silence, and by the end of it Brick had grown tired of this angered petulance directed at him.

"Never knew you to be one to bite your tongue," Brick said as the applause permeating the room began to die down. "You clearly want to say something, so go ahead and spit it out."

Buttercup placed the cup on the dispenser bottle when she was done, before settling her eyes on Brick, her frown inveterate.

"My sister told me what you did." she finally said.

Brick suppressed a head shake. "Let me guess. Bank? Gun? Oh, and eight years ago? Am I getting warmer?" he replied sarcastically.

Buttercup laughed sardonically. "You think you're some sort of god in your head don't you?" That caught Brick by surprise a little, but she continued before he could retort.

"You think you're exempted from any kind of condemnation 'cause you've got daddy issues,"

"You better—" Brick began with a growl but was sharply cut off.

"You shift the blame to them for growing up a dirtbag, but that argument gets a little shaky when you look at Boomer, doesn't it?"

"You don't know what the fuck you're talking about."

"I know enough to know that you're a coward who can't face the reality of his past."

"I'd advice you to stay out of my fucking business bitch," Brick seethed.

"You could have killed one of the citizens of my city, no matter how fucking old you were," Buttercup growled back, pulling out her hands from her pockets. "That'll always be my business."

"What makes you think I still give a shit about your city puff? Or its citizens?" Brick inquired, putting in conscious effort not to shatter the beer bottle in his hand to pieces, or on her head.

Buttercup paused, clenching her fists reflexively when she realized they were nearly in each other's faces now.

"You? I don't know what to think about you," she started, matching his malignant gaze with her own. "All I know is I don't trust you, and if you give me a reason to act on that distrust—"

Her emerald orbs glowed as she leaned a few inches closer to him and growled, "—you're going to get hurt, cap boy."

Brick's crimson orbs glowed right back at her. "I'd like to see you try, you fucking cu—"

The sound of Buttercup's beeping phone cut him off, and she only held his gaze a second longer before tearing away with a huff and pulling out her phone. Her eyes shifted to Bunny instantly once she saw Ms Bellum's name on the screen.

Bunny had looked up at her simultaneously, and no words were needed before they both streaked to the first living room.

The rough chimes of shattering glass pulled everyone's attention from the Puffs' exit to Brick, whose right hand was now dripping with what had been left of his drink, with the broken pieces of the bottle sprawled around his feet.

Barring the music, the room fell into a... cautious silence. Brick looked up, and all the eyes in his direction were swiftly pulled away.

He blinked, realizing his eyes had still been glowing, he dimmed them and looked down at his hand. Well, that basically meant he was done with it.

With a hand swipe on his cape, he started towards the second room, well and truly done with this party.

The Pablo boy, as well as the girl him and Bunny had performed with watched him leave with what seemed like a mix between shock and fear. He paid it no mind, subconsciously giving the boy a once over as he walked past them.

"Hey... hey..." Kim heaved into Bubbles' ear. The latter moaned lightly, her head still clouded from the vigorous make out session they'd just had.

Kim still had her pinned against the mirror, both their dresses had ridden up enough for their upper thighs to have direct contact, which in turn made it easier for Kim to slide her right hand under Bubbles' lap, and straight under her skirt.

"I want to try something," she slurred, taking a light nibble at Bubbles' ear lobe.

Bubbles felt her fingers run along her inner laps, then move up to pull her underwear down. Bubbles was on auto-pilot, she didn't have to think about anything she was doing. She hadn't even realized she'd lifted her waist to give Kim easier access and...

Bubbles gasped, one of her hands gripping Kim's hair while the other desperately tried to latch onto something on her back, her grip only tightened as Kim went to work on her with her finger.

"Wa... wait..." Bubbles breathed.

Kim ignored her and only flicked her finger faster, propping her forehead against Bubbles' as the puff struggled to steady herself.

With every second she squirmed harder, breathed harder, gripped harder. Kim got bolder, and went faster the louder Bubbles moaned.

"You're so fucking hot," she whispered into Bubbles' ear.

"Oh my God... oh my—"

Bubbles jerked at the beeping in her pocket, it was quite loud considering she felt like she couldn't really hear anything just a few seconds ago.

Her sharp movement somewhat disoriented Kim, who was hesitant to retract her hand...

"That... that's the.. distress line..." Bubbles managed to say in-between breaths, and after a split second of clarity, she moved to come down from the mirror counter.

Kim hesitantly pulled away from her, watching somewhat awkwardly as Bubbles readjusted the pieces of her clothing that were out of place—she was facing the door, and backing Kim as a result.

The pinkette repeatedly closed and opened her palm against her dress, trying to regulate her breathing.

"Um..." she started. "I—I guess this means—"

"I have to go." Bubbles interjected, immediately grabbed her phone off the counter, unlocked the door, and exited the bathroom.

Kim blinked at the door, and the sudden deafening silence she was left to nestle with. She lightly pulled at her dress, before raising her hands to grab her hair, in a similar manner to how Bubbles had...

She turned to the mirror, dropping her hands to the counter as she gave herself a long stare, before dropping her head in frustration.

"Fuck."

"Girls!" Blossom clamored, hovering above the now very confused crowd of teenagers. Blossom had flown in and immediately disconnected the speakers from the wall directly, ceasing the dancing and whatever else they'd been up to.

"What's up?! What's the situation?" Buttercup answered, zipping into view with Bunny alongside her.

"Monsters on third street, zombie-types according to Ms Bellum, some of them are getting near the suburbs we need to move now."

"Wait are they close by?" a random boy said from below them, he was ignored.

"Where's Bubbles?" Bunny asked.

"Here! I'm here!" came Bubbles' voice as she zipped into view alongside them, looking a little disheveled. Even one of her pigtails looked a little loose.

Bunny arched a brow. "What happ—"

"We don't have time! Bunny, you take the suburbs, one of us will eventually come over for backup if you need it."

Bunny nodded, and zoomed out.

"Let's go girls!" Blossom ordered and followed Bunny out the glass doors, halting right before she flew past Bear.

"Bear, I know you, um, don't do this. But could you watch over the people here? I'll call you when it's safe to let them go home?"

"Sure." Bear nodded, watching as her pink streak arced into the air after she thanked him, rushing to catch up to the green and blue ones.

He turned towards the door to see a couple of people slowly coming outside, then towards the pool where people were hopping out of it one by one.

"Everyone get inside! Don't make a fuss until the girls give the green light for you guys to go home!" Bear projected, in a way most probably wouldn't have guessed he could.

He stayed by the snooker table, watching idly as the people outside scurried back into the house, finally dropping the cue on the board when they were all in, save for one person, who was actually shouldering through the crowd as he made his way outside.

"Surprised you stayed this long, to be honest." Bear said to a peeved looking Brick as he approached him.

"Me too," Brick replied. "Rectifying that now, you coming with?"

"I'll be home later, Blossom asked me to help watch over them." Bear answered, thumbing towards the house behind him.

"Please tell me you're joking?" Brick said with an audible lick of disgust.

Bear shrugged. "Promised her I would."

Brick rolled his eyes, walking past his brother. "I don't know what you guys see in this place."

"Can't see much in general if you're always wearing your cap over your eyes. I mean I know you're just trying to look cool, but people might think it's kind of pretentious."

"Fuck you very much," Brick riposted listlessly. "See you later." and with that, his red streak zoomed off into the air.

Bear watched it fade with an amused grin, then took a quick scan of his surroundings. He took one last look through the glass doors to see most of the people still and steady in silence now.

He rounded his shoulders to loosen a few knots and floated in to the air, crossing his legs and willing his pack of cigarettes as well as his lighter from his jacket pocket to his hand.

These things were small fry, Bunny thought as she lasered what was indeed a zombie looking monster in half, and like the others before it, once decapitated, it simply withered into thin air.

She hovered above the street, scanning the area for more of them with her Infrared vision, but she'd seemingly swept them all aside successfully.

She allowed herself a grin as her eyes dimmed and she dusted off her hands, watching ashes of the zombie carcass dissipate in the air before she flew towards the city to aid her sisters.

Brick twisted his key in the lock and pushed the front door open, brimmed with the anticipation of shedding himself of this atrocious outfit and incinerating the memory of this whole night from his mind.

He met Boomer in the living room as he was walking past, laid down on the long couch, watching cartoons on the TV.

"You made me go for that stupid party and had the audacity to leave early?" he said, coming up behind said couch so he could glare down at Boomer properly.

Boomer's eyes shifted towards him. "Sorry about that, it was a pretty mid party."

Brick rose a brow as Boomer's eyes flicked back to the TV. He had already changed out of his costume into a big tee and sweatpants, and the uncharacteristically dull expression he wore made him look almost unrecognizable. He seemed to be looking through the TV as well, rather than at it.

"The hell is up with you?" Brick asked.

"Nothing," came Boomer's faint reply. "I'm just beat."

Brick's gaze lingered on him a few more seconds. "Boom—"

"I'm fine man, for real." Boomer assured, rather unconvincingly, but Brick let it go.

"Mom home?" Brick asked, looking towards her room.

"Yeah, but she's asleep. What about Bear and Butch?"

"Bear's playing hero and Butch is probably passed out somewhere," Brick answered, reaching for his neck to undo his cape. "I'm going to bed, thanks for a shit night." he said, dropping the cape to fall over Boomer, covering everywhere from his head to his waist.

Boomer slowly pulled it off him just as he heard Brick shut his room door. He let his gaze remain on the ceiling, blowing some strands of his still purple hair out of his face, so he could dolefully focus on the twinkling chandelier.

Bubbles gritted her teeth as she slammed into the side of a building, she huffed a breath before pulling herself out of it.

Upon arriving the scene, the girls met a frankly underwhelming set of zombie-like monsters, it had seemed the night was going to be a formality. And it had been, until they found out where the monsters were coming from...

Bubbles looked up at the nine-foot blob that her sisters were trying to dispose of. It had proven difficult because it remained stationary until the girls got within centimeters of it and it rapidly shot out a molded fist from its body.

Regardless though, it wasn't much of a threat as what the girls most had to concern themselves with were the zombies that manifested from it intermittently.

Bubbles braced herself to pelt forward when she saw Blossom's pink streak run through another zombie before it could even fully emerge from the blob.

There was a sudden flash, not externally, it was images in her head that clouded her eyes. She briefly saw that flowing pink hair, and the soft hand that'd been caressing her—

Something impacted her stomach, knocking her back to Earth, she looked down to find a zombie trying to tackle her to the ground. Her fist glowed in preparation to blast it off her, then she felt a pair of hands grip around her wrist.

"What—" she turned to find one behind her, both hands gripping her arm. Then another grabbed her torso from behind, and one dived towards her from the front, knocking her right back into the hole in the building she'd formed earlier.

Bubbles grunted against the unrelenting—and surprisingly strong—grip the creatures kept on her. Her eyes glowed in anger when one attempted to strangle her, but before she could release her lasers there was big green flash, and suddenly she'd been freed.

She blinked when she saw Buttercup suddenly in-front of her, volleying the last zombie that tried to resist to the other end of the street.

"Look alive Bubbles!" Buttercup called her out, turning to face her. "Are you good?"

Bubbles was stumped. "Huh? Yeah, I'm good, I'm good. Sorry." Bubbles answered, lightly shaking her head clear.

Buttercup simply looked at her, thining her lips before arcing back towards the blob.

Bubbles took a moment to exhale deeply, clenching her fists before rising into the air and following her.

It hadn't even been fifteen minutes after they left when Blossom called Bear, he picked on the second ring.

"You guys done already?... yeah, they are... a'ight, see you."

He ended the call as he took another hit of this cig, before dropping it on the grass and ashing it under his boot. He blew out the smoke as he turned back to the house, within seconds he was back inside, floating above the panicked looking students.

"Everywhere's safe now, you guys should start heading home before the feds get here." he informed, and that was more than enough motivation for people to start scampering towards the front door.

After a few seconds Bear decided he'd probably done enough babysitting and started drifting back out the glass doors.

"Dude," a voice called from behind him, or rather, from under him. He looked down to find Butch staggering his way through the now mostly empty living room towards him. He was missing his mask, and when Bear floated down to meet him, he could tell that Butch was probably high beyond reason.

"You look fucking smacked," Bear said, Butch only put his hand out to use the punch table to steady himself, knocking a few red cups to the ground.

"Man... I don't think I can fly, could you..." he slurred off, and Bear puffed a sigh, turning and thumbing down at his back.

He felt Butch's arms wrap around his shoulders a second later, and when he didn't feel anything else, he bent slightly to pick Butch up from his kneepits.

"What the hell are you on man?" Bear asked, side-eyeing Butch whose head was now laid on his left shoulder.

"I... I told her to stop... but she didn't..." he mumbled in reply.

Okay, so his brain was probably mush at the moment, Bear thought at his brother's unintelligible reply. He adjusted himself, and Butch by extension, then floated back outside and shot into the night sky.

"Man, I'm lowkey tired," Bunny said.

"You're the only one whose still got the energy and co-ordination to walk backwards," Buttercup replied. "Can't be that gassed."

Indeed, the four sisters were walking home after another night's work, with Bunny ahead of the three of them, sauntering backwards as they neared their house.

"I'm surprised dad hasn't called any of us," Blossom said, taking a look at her lack of missed calls before pocketing her phone.

"I call that progress," Bunny snickered. Usually—previously, to be specific—they'd each have about three calls each from him by now.

"I just realized I've barely eaten anything since lunch, what kind of party has no food?" Buttercup moaned.

"Should have asked the stoners, they were everywhere." Bunny answered as she hopped onto the sidewalk, aligning her feet with the floor pattern even as she walked backwards.

"Maybe you guys would be less hungry if you were a hundred percent sober," Blossom ventured.

Bunny and Buttercup groaned exaggeratedly in unison. The former's eyes roamed to Bubbles then, who'd been uncharacteristically quiet the whole way home.

"Bubs, you okay?"

Bubbles looked up, noticing all her sister's eyes on her.

"I'm fine, just partied too hard I guess" she chuckled. "I'm not exactly a hundred percent sober either."

"Saying that right in-front of the responsibility nazi? You've got balls blondie." Buttercup said, Bunny laughed, and now it was Blossom's turn to roll her eyes.

"I give up with you guys." the redhead said, currently more interested in getting to bed than chiding her sister.

Bubbles' minute smile disappeared as the focus shifted away from her, her eyes returned to the ground as they turned into their street, the gleaming moonlight and hooting owls coloring the atmosphere of a heavy night, that weighed on her more and more with every step she took.

~End: Ch. 6~