I do not own the Power Puff Girls or the Rowdy Ruff Boys.

Chapter Twenty-Six: Forgiveness

The professor was in the kitchen fixing himself something to eat when he heard the front door slam and felt his house rattle. Plaster from the ceiling fell and ruined his BTL, a guilty pleasure he'd been denying himself in an effort to improve his diet. Inhaling sharply through his nose, he dumped the sandwich in the trash. He then stormed out of the kitchen to confront her. "Buttercup!"

It had been over two weeks since their failed Thanksgiving dinner and her attitude while repentant at first, soured as Butch spoke the bare minimum to her. Her attitude left none and nothing unscathed. It was growing tiresome and he was sure his house couldn't take much more abuse. It didn't escape his notice that Butch slept on the couch the entire time. As a father, he purposefully chose to ignore the implications of that.

When the professor entered the living room, he nearly collided with his son in law and was glad he didn't. Butch was covered head to toe in motor oil. He opened his mouth to ask, but a single annoyed look from Butch stopped him.

"Initiation." With that, he went up the stairs with every intention of taking a nice, long shower. Once in the bathroom, he turned the water as hot as it would go and stripped himself of his sticky clothes. They fell to the floor with a wet plop and he groaned at the thought of having to manually wash them. If he put them in the washing machine, the oil would no doubt ruin it. Buttercup already threw a fit with him about it once before when the residual grease in the machine ruined her best undergarments. Thinking of his wife gave him pause. He was rightfully angry with her and didn't think himself capable of talking to her for extended periods of time without resorting to yelling.

Mojo had been trying to do the right time by them. Not just his sons, but everyone. Sure, he'd made a bet at his expense with Brick over who was going to blow their stack, but he really appreciated Mojo's efforts. He hadn't said so, but he missed the obnoxious overprotective chimp. Hell, he missed being together with his brothers and Mojo. The four of them for the longest were all they ever had. As isolated as the volcano tower was, there wasn't a lack for—dare he say it—love. They were family and had a thing that worked for them. It wasn't perfect—no family was—but, it was his family

Butch reached up to run a hand through his hair, only to encounter more motor oil. He'd been working at the garage for a little over a month. Apparently, when a newbie passed their first-month mark, they played a prank on the new guy. For the manager, it was having all the air in his tires be released. Joji had his lunch replaced with a tub of worms. Hank was prank called by his wife and daughter about how she was dropping out of college to elope with a guy in a band. For Butch, they decided to set up a bucket of the old motor oil over a door, or so his super hearing led him to believe. He'd used his extra vision on every door, looking for the bucket. When he found it, he'd gently—for him—kicked the door open and watched an empty bucket fall. Confused he'd walked out into the garage, only shot at with water guns filled with a week's worth of used motor oil. His clothes took the worst of it, but he still needed a shower.

Turning from the mirror, Butch pulled back the shower curtain and stepped under the burning spray. As someone who was made from armpit hair, snails, and a prison guard dog tail in a prison cell toilet, one would think he wouldn't mind being dirty. Butch usually didn't, but he preferred it when it was his own filth he was wallowing in. Like the sweat that would cling to his skin after a good battle. Butch could work up a really nice stink after a battle on Monster Isle. Maybe he could ask his brothers to go with him just to brawl, rather than pick off a few unfortunate monsters. Then there was the musk from sex. The scent was heavier and lingered in the air longer. His woodsy smell mixed with Buttercup's jasmine and vanilla smell only added to the pleasure.

Thinking about that particular smell made his mind wander to the moments that came before. Buttercup's body and his own moving together without abandon for that blissful coital moment that came with a strong climax. His cock started to get hard, and Butch reached down to squeeze the base. He groaned at how good the sensation felt before letting it go. He hadn't had sex with Buttercup since before Thanksgiving and was starting to feel the beginnings of sexual frustration. As his cock grew harder, he knew there only one way to find some relief—no matter how temporary it was.

"Fuck," He groaned before releasing himself and grabbing a towel. The last thing he needed was to get leftover motor oil in his urethra. Butch grabbed his body wash and poured a generous about to create a lather and scrub away the rest of the oil. After he was clean and gave his hair a quick but thorough wash, he reached for his semi and stroked it to full hardness. The sensation was weak, but he would have to make do. When the pleasure didn't seem to rise beyond simple physical sensation, he blindly reached for Buttercup's soap and flicked the cap open. Pouring some of the jasmine body wash into his hand, he stroked himself while letting the familiar smell wrap around him. His pleasure grew as he imagined those passionate moments with his wife and tightened his fist around his erection. His panting breath and soft slapping of his skin were just barely heard over the rushing of the shower.

Suddenly the bathroom door was pushed open. Butch froze before pulling back the curtain just enough to see who had interrupted his masturbating. On the other side of the curtain was Buttercup rummaging in the cabinets beneath the sink. When she found what she was looking for, she stood up and startled when she saw Butch glaring at her. "Butch!"

"You could've knocked." He grumbled before disappearing back behind the curtain and rinsing off the jasmine body wash. His erection was slowly deflating as his irritation at not getting off grew.

"Last I checked this was my house. Besides that, I needed a tampon." Buttercup said before she lifted the toilet seat. As she was pushing her pants down and sitting, she noticed that Butch's clothes on the floor and the mess that they were. "What happened to your clothes?"

"Would you get out of here?" he snapped at her, turning the water cold to chase away his remaining arousal.

Buttercup glanced at him and rolled her eyes. She proceeded to insert her tampon and wiped the remaining blood from her fingers and between her legs. Dropping the soiled tissue in the bowl, she noticed the scent of jasmine in the air and glared at the curtain. "Are you using my soap?"

"GET OUT!"

Mouth twisting into a frown, she reached behind her and flushed the toilet. Butch yelled out as she stood up to pull her pants back up. When she started to wash her hands, the shower cut off and Butch threw the shower curtain aside. Buttercup turned to look at her husband, wet and dripping with water. Her eyes nearly dropped to his junk, but he covered it with a large towel and stepped out of the tub. He was about to walk around her and leave when she put her hand out against his chest. "Can we talk?"

"No," he said using his strength to move her out the way, only to have Buttercup grip his arm in her hand. "Buttercup, I'm not in the mood."

"It's been two weeks. How long are you going to stay mad?" she asked him.

Butch shook her hand off and left the bathroom, going to her room where his things were. One thing about living in his wife's house was that he shared her space. There wasn't a way to get away from her without leaving the house. As he rummaged through his bags for fresh clothes, Buttercup came in and slammed the door behind her. Butch barely flinched as he dropped his towel and pulled on a pair of loose boxers.

"Butch!" Buttercup growled at him.

"What?"

Instead of answering him, she charged at him and slammed her hands against his chest. "What do you mean 'what'? You've been a fucking asshole to me!"

"I've been an asshole? Are you fucking kidding me?" Butch said as he grabbed a pair of pants and yanked them up. "You wrecked Mojo's dinner."

The spice Puff ran a hand through her hair and breathed through her nose at her husband. "Butch."

"Don't!" He said while turning away from her to grab some clothes. "Just don't."

"You're really this upset because Mojo's joke of a dinner—."

Butch slammed his bag down with enough force for the floor to tremble. Down below the professor yelled about the plaster falling on his head, but went ignored. "A joke?! Mojo did that for us! It may be hard for someone who's life had been perfect to understand—."

"My life hasn't been perfect."

"No, but I can fucking tell you that the Power Puff Girls has had it a hell of a lot easier than the Rowdy Ruff Boys! We weren't ever welcome with open arms or having our fucking birthday televised! Our dad wasn't a respected figure that got his crimes expunged after his kids destroyed the goddamn town!" Butch's voiced thundered louder than she'd ever heard him before. Louder than when they were fighting about being divorced or separated. Louder than when they were defining their relationship. "We also didn't have that same whole fucking town wanting to be their friend and kiss our asses. We had to either rely on each other and Mojo or find time to sneak off to City's Ville to get away from the fear and occasional revulsion that stigma of being a Rowdy Ruff boy was!"

He took a deep breath and growled an inhuman sound under his breath and turned away from Buttercup to yank the rest of his clothes on. Behind him, Buttercup's heart raced. A knock preluded the door opening and the professor stepped into the doorway. Buttercup rushed to the door and placed a hand on her father's chest and gently pushed. "We're fine. We're fine. Go back downstairs."

"It doesn't sound fine," The professor said looking between his daughter and son in law. "In fact, it hasn't for the past two weeks sounded fine."

Buttercup shook her head and glanced at Butch's rigid back as he stared at his fists clenched at his sides. "Daddy, we're handling it."

"By breaking my goddamn house?" The professor sighed before looking over her shoulder at Butch who was now putting his scattered clothes into his duffle. His gaze returned to Buttercup with a raised brow. "This has gone on long enough."

"Daddy," she sighed in exasperation. "We're—hey!"

Butch roughly shoved his way between Buttercup and the professor with his duffle bag thrown over his shoulder and headed for the bathroom. He picked up his oil-drenched uniform and looked around briefly before snatching up his toothbrush and hair gel. When he started to head downstairs, Buttercup came out of her shock and jumped over the banister to float in front of him as he stomped down the stairs. Butch came to a stop at the bottom and scowled. "Move."

"Where are you going?"

"Move, or I'll do it myself." Butch threatened with his eyes flashing in a way that Buttercup hadn't seen in a long time.

"You wouldn't." Buttercup dared him as she stood resolute in her place in front of him.

There was a beat of silence as jade clashed with emerald. Then Butch took a step toward his wife and grabbed the doorknob behind her. He pushed his way past her and slammed the door in her face, catching her nose. It didn't hurt, but the shock of it startled her more than anything else. She was brought out of it when she heard the gunning of Butch's truck. She yanked the door open and watched as he drove off in a hurry. She was about to charge after her when she felt a hand on her shoulder holding her back.

"Professor!"

When she turned to glare with blazing eyes at her father and saw him shake his head, she groaned aloud in frustration and stormed back into the house. The professor followed her in and found her in the kitchen. She was rummaging in the freezer, finding a pint of peanut butter chocolate swirl. The green Puff then breezed past her father to go sit on the couch. The lid of the ice cream was pulled and thrown to the side and she dug in with a large spoon.

The professor followed his daughter to the living room, watching as she angrily ate her ice cream. "Buttercup."

"He's such a fucking idiot," Buttercup mumbled around a mouthful of ice cream. "I can't believe her turned this into a Ruff versus Puff thing. I thought we were passed that bullshit."

The professor sat in one of the chairs and propped his elbows on his knees as he looked at her. "Sweetheart, Butch is not in the wrong here."

"Not you too." She groaned as she munched on another spoonful of ice cream.

"Buttercup, Mojo hosted that dinner for everyone, not just the boys. Listen," he snapped at her when she rolled her eyes and turned her head. "you know the boys were going through a rough time after that Halloween fiasco of theirs. The dinner was supposed to bring everyone together. He was trying."

Buttercup spared her father a raised brow look and pensively sucked on her spoon. "Yeah? Why try now and not when they needed him before?"

"As someone who doesn't forgive easily and prone to holding a grudge, you should know how hard it is to admit when you're wrong." With that said, the professor stood up and left his stubborn daughter to her ice cream.

Buttercup sat in angry silence, her ice cream slowly disappearing the deeper in thought she went. To her, Mojo was someone who came out the gate hating them. He used their untapped powers for his own evil plans. Terrorized their homes and lives again and again. He always managed to find a new low to stupe to in order to get his way. Then the boys were thrown into the picture. She noticed there was a bit of change in Mojo after the boys entered his life, but she hadn't really paid it much mind. She just knew that after one particular court sentencing that Mojo permanently retired from villainy. Butch told her it had to do with his custody of the boys. That being said, Buttercup knew the chimp cared for the boys; she just wasn't sure that he really loved them.

Once all her ice cream was gone, she set the empty container on the coffee table and reclined on the couch, licking the remaining peanut butter swirl from her lips. When her phone rang, she answered the call without answering. "Hello?"

"Yo, Buttercup! We're having a Christmas party like last year at Josh and Alex's house. Potluck and Secret Santa." Tabitha rushed out before Buttercup could say anything. "I called Mac and check it, Jack's back in town from Japan. It's going to be a full house. Coal's first Christmas party!"

Despite Butch having left her, she still managed to laugh. "I don't think Blossom is going to let Coal come. Especially if there's drinking like last time."

"Aww, you think? We haven't seen the little guy since Brick and Blossom brought him home." Tabitha groused good-naturedly. "I bet he's so much bigger now."

"Yeah, he is. Completely eating Brick and Blossom out of house and home." Buttercup commented dryly.

"Hey, are you okay? You sound a bit down." Tabitha noted.

Buttercup debated on whether or not to tell her, then decided that she would. If not the tension between the six of them could ruin the whole party. "Butch left the house."

"What?"

Slumping further into the couch, Buttercup ran a hand through her hair. "Yeah, he's still pissed about Thanksgiving and he left today."

There was silence on the other side of the phone. Buttercup couldn't tell if it was shock, disappointment, or plotting. With Tabitha, either one was a possibility. "Do you have plans for the rest of the day?"

"No—uh what are you doing?" Buttercup heard shuffling on the other end of the phone.

There was more shuffling in the other end of the phone before she heard a grunt. "I'm coming over to get you so that we can go shopping for all the good Christmas decorations. Then we're going to go get a pizza."

Buttercup wasn't sure if she really wanted to do what Tabitha suggested, but she figured it was better than sitting there feeling sorry for herself. "All right." She said before she hung up and went to change her clothes. It wouldn't do to go around looking how she felt.

"Ah! Aah! AAAHHHH!" Bubbles gasped as her orgasm ripped through her and she collapsed on her stomach with Boomer falling on top of her. "Wow. Wow!" She gasped while Boomer placed gentle kisses across her shoulders.

"It feels better when your head isn't cluttered, doesn't it?" Boomer joked while pulling out of Bubbles and moving to lay beside her in her dorm bed. He pulled the condom off and reached back so he could drop it in her trashcan by her desk.

Bubbles giggled and turned her face toward Boomer. "I'm pretty sure that I need some of the clutter to pass my final tomorrow."

Boomer hummed a sound and leaned over to kiss Bubbles. As their lips met, he moved closer to her and wrapped an arm around her waist. After the horrible dinner, he'd stormed out of the house angrier and looking for an outlet for his anger. He'd flown to the orchard with Bubbles following behind him. She'd silently watched him pace back and forth. He was quiet for a moment and then he tore down an apple tree. Then he started to rage about the disastrous ending to dinner. How it was all Buttercup's fault. That Mojo was trying to make right. He was finally starting to feel normal, remembering what it felt like to be with his family how they used to be. Then Bubbles had put her arms around him and the two of them came together like magnets. Clothes were quickly discarded, partially destroyed in their need to be as close as possible.

Their joining started as a way to slake a physical need for action. Then as they remembered what it felt like to be together, it turned into something more emotionally influenced. Finishing almost as quickly as it started, Boomer and Bubbles stared in silence at one another before going for another round of lovemaking. This time it was slower and more deliberate. It was like they were recreating a memory.

After that night when Bubbles' classes were over, she'd either meet Boomer at the orchard or he'd come to her dorm. Together they'd spend their time in companionable silence as Bubbles studied or binge-watching together. Other times they'd get something to eat or just take a walk together. All the rest of the time was filled with sex. Their time spent together felt like they were making up for lost time.

"Which final are you having tomorrow?" He asked between kisses to her face.

"Veterinary science." Bubbles said as she returned Boomer's kiss.

There was a slight pause in Boomer's lips skating across her kiss when he leaned back. "You're class with Jamie."

Sky blue eyes closed as a groan ripped from her. "Boomer…"

"No, listen." He insisted while pulling her hands down after she put them up to cover her face. "Before I came here, Mac called me to say Tabitha was throwing a party like last year. We should invite Jamie."

"Really?" When Boomer nodded, she lifted a brow in skepticism. "Why?"

Boomer propped his head in his hand and sighed heavily. "I've had a lot to think about in these last few weeks. That's all."

Bubbles was silent as she reached up and brushed some of Boomer's fair from his face. "Your hair's getting longer. Might have to tie it back like Brick's if it gets any longer."

"Ugh," Boomer dropped his head and then sat up. "If I ever need a reason to cut my hair it'd be that."

His girlfriend laughed with him as he got up from the bed and picked up his clothes. Bubbles sat up and held her comforter over her bare breasts and watched as Boomer got dressed. As he pulled his shirt over his head, he looked to Bubbles and a shy but smug smile came over his face. "You're staring."

"Uh-huh." She said bringing her sky blues to his cobalt eyes. "You're nice to look at."

The Blue Ruff's smile grew and he reached a hand out to yank the comforter from Bubbles. "Yeah? I could say the same about you." He then ran one of his hands up her slightly stubbly leg before curling it around her knee and yanking her forward. Bubbles allowed herself to be pulled and toward him with a fit of giggles following the action. Her legs framed his body and she reached up to kiss him one last time before he left her, so she could get a good's night rest for her final.

As Boomer was checking out with the resident assistant, he heard someone call out Jamie's name. Turning, he saw that it was indeed Jamie coming into the building. The curly-haired boy noticed him a beat after Boomer turned and then there was a moment of awkwardness. The two boys just stared at each other in silence. After that moment was over, Jamie gave a weird head nod and started to walk down the hall toward the elevators. Boomer flashed over to cut him off with his blue streak forming faintly behind him. "Hey wait."

Jamie startled at Boomer's sudden appearance in front of him. Taking a few steps back, he braced himself for what Boomer night say to him. He didn't look angry, but he couldn't be sure when it came to the Rowdy Ruff Boy. "Hey," His nervous tick making an appearance as his hand moved to the back of his neck. "Look, I haven't really talked to Bubbles since—."

"One of our friends is throwing a Christmas party. We do a potluck and Secret Santa," Boomer started before he stopped and took a breath. "I suck at this, but I'm trying to invite you."

That was the last thing Jamie expected. It showed on his face that he was confused and that just made the moment more awkward. "You're inviting me to a party?"

"Yeah." Boomer said with a slow nod. "I know it's…"

"Weird." Jamie supplied. "Very weird. Bubbles…she didn't put you up to this did she?" While Bubbles and he were working their way back to being friends, he wasn't really all that comfortable with Boomer. The last time he saw the guy he was blasting of with a sonic boom—pun not intended—echoing in his ears.

"No! No. No, umm…I wanted to invite you." Boomer told him earnestly.

"Why?" Jamie asked, truly wanting to know why the guy whose girlfriend he stupidly kissed was inviting him to a party.

This was turning out to be more difficult than Boomer thought it would be. It probably would've been better had Bubbles asked Jamie herself. However, when he mentioned it to her, he wasn't sure that she'd actually do it. The blond Ruff also remembered that he never gave Jamie much reason to make him think he liked him. That little bit of dog tail always reared its head to howl when he started to feel jealous. "These few weeks gave me some new perspective."

Jamie vaguely remembered Bubbles telling him something about some dimensional rebound. Maybe he rebounded off whatever it was harder than he thought. Even still, the guy was going out of his way to include him when he didn't have to. The least he could do was reciprocate by trying to be nice. "When is this party?"

"Next Saturday. It's going to be at our friend Tabitha's. I'll have Bubbles text you the address." Boomer said as he stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"I think I can make that. Potluck?" When Boomer nodded at him and started to walk around him when Jamie turned to face him. "Boomer? I'm sorry for kissing Bubbles."

Boomer lifted a shoulder and dropped it lamely. "We're all good." It was the honest truth. Boomer didn't begrudge Jamie for kissing Bubbles. The guy felt bad enough about it and didn't need this dragged out for much longer. It had already gone on too long already.

"Really?"

"Yeah. See you at the Christmas party." Boomer gave a parting smile and left the dorms. He left the campus in his car, finally fixed after a lot of time and being charged by his mechanic brother. His mechanic brother that was living in the volcano tower again.

When Butch had shown up at the volcano tower with his duffle bag declaring that he was moving back in, of course, Mojo asked what happened. All Butch bothered to provide for an answer was that he was separated and tired of sleeping on the professor's couch. He then went about the next few days as if it weren't strange about his showing up back home out of the blue. That didn't mean he wasn't in a mood. His temper shorted out over the smallest of things and when he was grumbling, he was in his room brooding as far as Boomer could tell. Boomer found out that he and Buttercup had a fight only yesterday after overhearing Butch on the phone with Brick. Apparently, after three or so days Buttercup felt that she'd left her husband alone long enough. Imagine her surprise when he's not at Brick and Blossom's, but rather Mojo's. For a moment, Boomer thought Buttercup was going to show up at the tower, but thankfully she didn't.

Pulling up into the space beside Butch's Jeep, Boomer got out and started to make his way to the tower. When he walked in he was surprised to see Butch talking to Mojo. The two really hadn't spoken much since he moved out, and when they did they weren't kind. What Boomer say was a pleasant deviation from the usual sarcasm and biting remarks. Mojo and Butch were sitting on the cousin with Butch trying to explain to Mojo how to play Super Mario Brothers.

"I find that very offensive," Mojo commented when Donkey Kong appeared on the screen as the boss for the level they were on.

Butch chuckled as he adjusted Mojo's hands on the controller. "You would think that. How does someone with twice the dexterity in his fingers unable to work a controller."

"Don't forget he has arthritis." Boomer joked as he passed into the kitchen. "I don't know why you're trying to teach him to play. You've never passed that level without help."

Butch looked over the edge of the couch at Boomer with a middle finger raised. He then turned back to Mojo to explain what he needed to do to beat Donkey Kong. Boomer quietly went about in the kitchen looking for something to eat. Grabbing the things he would need to make a sandwich, he thought about what he would make for the potluck. Last year he made potstickers, and he wondered if he wanted to make something else relating to his unexpected Japanese culture. Like Takoyaki. It would be difficult, but he was sure he could make it and it would be delicious.

"Yo, Butch what are you going to make for the potluck?"

"Depends on what you're going to make." Butch threw over his shoulder between instructions to Mojo.

"Going to do Takoyaki." Boomer declares and he loaded his sandwich with meat, cheese, and lettuce finishing with mustard and mayonnaise. "Though I think I should make them with shrimp or crab rather than octopus. Everyone might freak out if they knew they were eating octopus."

Mojo's head whipped back faster than Butch's did and turned to look at his son as if he were insane. Which apparently he was for not wanting to but octopus in Takoyaki. "There's no other way to make Takoyaki without octopus. It's what makes it Takoyaki."

Boomer finished stacking his sandwich and looked up to see Mojo looking over the edge of the couch. "I don't know how well octopus will go over with everyone."

"Then make crab cakes or crab Rangoon," Mojo suggested before both boys shuddered. Mojo looked between the two of them wondering what was up with them.

"Cream cheese, ugh!" Both of them said. While the boys' palettes were widely spread, all three of them could agree on one thing. Cream cheese was disgusting unless in a cheesecake, and crab Rangoon was the worst.

Mojo shook his head at his sons before the sound of his character dying alerted his attention. "Curses!" He turned back and waited while Butch brought him back to the beginning.

Boomer chuckled at his father's antics and went to join them on the couch. Together the three of them played video games and discussing potluck options. As they were doing so, Mojo noticed how excited Boomer was getting as he talked about food and cooking it. Ever since he got fired from that delivery truck job, he'd secretly been looking into more appropriate jobs for his son. While he knew Boomer was capable of finding a job on his own, he knew his son could also do better. If anything getting him an interview for one of the jobs he felt was worthy of his son, would jumpstart Boomer's drive for a future. While they'd never be financially challenged, he wanted them to make something of themselves. Brick was studying architecture and engineering. Butch was a mechanic and that in and of itself showed promise for more. Boomer was the only one he had to worry about, but that was to be expected. His Blue Rowdy Ruff Boy was his youngest after all.

Coal was not happy in his current position. He was hungry and he was in Daddy's arms with no bottle in sight. At least with Mommy, they wouldn't need a bottle! He was being very vocal about his hunger and getting louder and hotter the longer he had to wait. Daddy's pacing and rocking were only serving to irritate him. When his next scream was accompanied by a few sparks and smoke coming from his mouth, Brick's brows shot up in surprise. "Hey Blossom, how's that bottle coming along?"

"Almost done." She called out over their son's persistent screaming.

"Don't mean to rush you, but Fireball is seconds away from becoming a fire-breathing dragon." Brick said while raising a hand over his son to quell the fire he had no control over.

Blossom looked up from fixing the top and saw that Coal was red in the face with smoke rising from him from not only hanger but his firepower. "Oh." She hurried out of the kitchen with the prepared bottle and handed it to Brick.

After he had it in hand, he wasted no time in putting it to Coal's mouth. The hungry baby quickly latched on and began to eat with eager fervor. With his hunger being sated, he quieted and slowly cooled down. Blossom put pressed the back of her hand to Coal's forehead and let her ice powers work themselves over him. Once he was cooled, Brick sat on the couch with Blossom beside him. "He can make sparks now."

"Should I be worried he'll burn the house down anything soon?" Blossom asked looking between her son and equally fire-powered boyfriend.

Brick shook his head in the negative. "Nah. I was blowing harmless sparks and embers for a few years before I was able to create any real firepower." While looking down at Coal, an excited smile that spelled mischief. "It's going to be so fucking awesome teaching how all those tricks I taught myself growing up. Rings of fire. Fire whips. Fire writing."

"And where exactly would you be teaching him in those few years from now?" Blossom asked.

"On Monster Isle." Brick said while tilting the bottle up so Coal could get those last few ounces of breastmilk.

"Are you crazy? You're not bringing him to Monster Isle at three years old!" Blossom exclaimed with a bit of ice creeping across the couch.

Feeling the ice at his toes, Coal kicked his foot and grumbled at the frigid touch. Brick, unfortunately, felt it crawling up his ass and flinched hard enough to have Coal heat up and let out a small sound of protest. "Hey, hey. He'll be fine. I'm pretty sure all of us went to the Isle before we were even ten years old."

Blossom couldn't deny that. She and her sisters at the very least were six when they visited the monster-infested space. That and she couldn't deny that the boys probably made it a regular habit to go to the Isle. Still, she didn't want her baby going until he was bigger. Much bigger. "He's not going to Monster Isle before he's thirteen."

"Thirteen? Oh, come on, Cherry. That's way too old." Brick said as Coal finished his bottle. Setting the empty bottle on the floor, he moved Coal over his shoulder so he could burp him. "He has to go sooner than that. He's a Rowdy Ruff Boy. He's got a rep to protect."

While he was patting his back, Blossom and Brick continued to bicker lightly about how old Coal would be when he got to go to Monster Isle. Blossom argued that there were monsters even she and her sisters tended to avoid. Brick countered that those monsters he and his brothers could defeat even on their worst day. Blossom retorted that their powers were more developed than Coal's were. He had his firepower, sure, but he didn't have flight, speed, or super strength yet. The professor could run tests, but she didn't want her son to be a science experiment. She wanted him to be a baby and do baby things. Play on his colorful mat with his dangling toys. Sleeping his days away in the comfort of his home. Being smothered with hugs and kisses by his parents.

Their petty squabbling was interrupted when Coal let out a Ruff Boy burp followed by a sigh. Brick moved him to his lap and turned his infant son to his mother. "Mommy, let Daddy take me to Monster Isle to fight monsters and learn how to use my powers." He said in a high-pitched voice that was mock of what it used to be when he was younger.

"He's cute, you're not." Blossom snorted as she picked up Coal's empty bottle and went to clean it. Brick got up and followed her into the kitchen.

Brick held Coal under his arms out toward Blossom as she cleaned his bottle. "Aww, c'mon Blossom. You can't call him cute and say I'm not. He gets his good looks from me."

"Let's hope he didn't get that cocky personality of yours." Blossom retorted before glanced at how Brick was holding their baby. "And hold him right before you drop him."

"I'm not going to—whoa!" He made it seem like he had only for Blossom to reach out with a yell at him. "Kidding! Kidding!"

Blossom was about to swat at him when Brick dodged out the way and Coal make happy gurgling sounds before he spat up over Brick's arm. The stinging hot sensation of stomach acid made the Red Ruff groan in amused disgust. Blossom took her son from Brick and used his bib, which was tucked under Brick's arm at the time of vomiting, to clean his face. "Serves you right."

Brick moved over to the sink to rinse his arm off while Blossom did the typical mom thing and checked over her baby to see that he truly was fine. With bemusement taking over his face as he flung the excess water into the sink, he leaned against the sink and watched as Coal relished in the attention from his Mommy. "You baby him so much."

"He's barely two months old. Of course, he needs to be babied." Blossom told him as she left the kitchen to head to Coal's room. Brick followed her and watched as she laid him on hi playmat and took his soiled bib off. She'd give him a bath later that evening and put him in clean clothes then.

"You're going to be a wreck at the party." Brick commented as he watched Coal start to entertain himself. His attitude was a complete one-eighty from how he was but an hour ago.

Blossom then raised a brow at him as she sat beside Coal. "What do you mean?"

Brick entered the room and sat on the other side of Coal's playmat. "The Christmas party Tabitha is throwing next Saturday? Potluck? Secret Santa? Maybe some necking and petting. Definitely some drinking." He watched as Blossom dropped her eyes to Coal with a furrowed brow." Blossom?"

"Are you sure about going to a party, I mean?" She asked while reaching out to rattle one of the dangling toys over Coal. He cooed happily and reached above trying to grab his toys. Her pink diamond eyes flicked back up to Brick's with trepidation in them.

It didn't take much for Brick to figure out where that look came from. He was just now coming out of his funk and wanted to show that he was fine. There was no better way to show that he was than with a party. "You have to admit that we deserve a bit of fun after…after everything."

"Yeah, but…" Blossom took a deep breath to gather her thoughts, chilling Coal, and making him wiggle and heat up briefly. "Are you going to get into it with Buttercup again? You know she's going to be there."

"After Butch left her to go back to Mojo's?" The bark of laughter that came out of him, was met with a frown. "What? After all the shit she's been giving me since ever? It's about time that shit bit her in the ass."

"Don't be a jerk about that."

This time Brick's laugh was full of disbelief. "You're asking me to not be a jerk?"

Blossom blew ice into Brick's face over Coal, coating his face in frost. "I mean it. Believe me, I know that Buttercup is a…"

"Bitch?"

"I'd liken her to a hedgehog." Blossom corrected.

Out of all things to compare the Green Spice Power Puff Girl to, a hedgehog was the last thing Brick was expecting. "A hedgehog?"

Blossom nodded and shifted in her place. "Cute at first glance, but then you see the spiky outside. Turn it over and there's a cuddly soft belly waiting to be tickled."

"I'll agree with the spiky part." Brick then reached and tickled Coal's belly making him wiggle and squeal happily. "But you didn't deny that she deserved it."

Blossom lifted and dropped her shoulder in a weak sign of acceptance.

"Is that the real reason you're trying to get out of going to the party?" Brick asked, not believing for a second that she was only worried about Brick and Buttercup fighting. When he saw Blossom reach out to smooth some of the static cling like spikes that were their son's hair. "Are you worried about Coal?"

Her fingers paused over her son's soft head and she moved to lay on her belly beside him. "Yeah, but I'm worried about you too."

Brick crawled around the playmat and laid beside Blossom on his side. "I'm fine." Blossom reached over to Brick to place his hands against his cheek. From under her critical eye, she watched as he just barely held back a flinch. Brick reached up and twined his fingers with her against his cheek. "I'm fine. I promise." He then leaned over and pressed his lips to her.

When he pulled back and looked at Blossom, she sighed moved to push Brick onto his back, and straddled him. "You still hesitate, and we've yet to have sex since I was given the okay by the doctor. Do I have to show you that I'm not some weakling again?"

Coal gurgled loudly and drew his parents' attention back to himself as he waved his limbs around excitedly. Brick looked back to Blossom with a smirk. "I don't mind if you think you have to. You don't but please do continue in front of our almost two-month-old son."

Blossom removed herself from over Brick and pulled him up into a sitting position. "Right."

"Hey, he's going to catch us having sex at one point or another." Brick commented. "Isn't it like a right of passage for kids to catch their parents having sex?"

"Are you saying you caught Mojo having sex?" Blossom wondered before she shuddered just thinking about that.

Brick laughed at her reaction and shook his head. "Small miracle. Did you ever catch the professor?"

Blossom's nose scrunched up as she gave a small nod. "I think we were twelve. We were staying the night at Robin and came back the next day we walked in to see him and Miss Keane in the kitchen."

"The Pokey Oaks Elementary teacher, Miss Keane?" When Blossom nodded Brick couldn't help the chuckle that broke past his lips. "Wow. Does he still see her?"

"Sometimes, I think. He goes over to her house rather than going over to ours." Blossom's mood sobered as she brushed her hair back from her face. "Are you sure you're fine?"

Brick leaned forward and placed a kiss on her lips. "Yeah, I am. And we're going to that party."

"Who's going to watch Coal?"

"Bring him to the professor's house." Brick told her. "I'm sure he'd like to spend some time with his grandson." Brick said while turning back to his son. "Would you like that little man? Spending time with your mad scientist granddad?"

If Blossom wasn't hesitant before, Brick's calling the professor a mad scientist did the job. She knew the professor wouldn't experiment on her baby while in his care but, "I'm always with him or nearby." Coal's red eyes watched his parents and he almost smiled a gummy smile at them, making Blossom's heart melt.

"I miss him every time I'm in class, but it just makes it all the better when I come home. I have my boy and my girl." Brick kissed her again and breathed a steamy breath into her face. "After his bath, we're going to take a bath. Will that prove to you that I'm fine?" He asked in a husky tone while moving to place kisses along his cherry's cheek until he reached her neck and bit down.

Coal chose that moment to blubber loudly thoroughly entertained by his toys and pulling his parents from their intimate bubble. The pink puff glanced at her playing son and then hid her face in Brick's chest. "Hmmm." She groaned. "After his bath, he's getting a heavy meal to put him to sleep. That should buy us an extra half hour, right."

A snorted laugh came from Brick as he stared at his Fireball. "Maybe, an extra twenty."

Mentioned fireball's bright ruby eyes flickered to his parents and he squealed loudly as they watched him play on his mat, wondering when they'd notice he wanted his diaper changed.

Hello, my lovelies. First off, Happy New Year! 2020 was a rough year! It showed the good, the bad, and everything in between within the human soul. Personally, for me, it has been eye-opening. It exposed both things I should expand on and things I need to improve on. Second, sorry, sorry, a million times sorry for not updating Growing Up sooner. Along with writing this fanfiction, I'm also writing my very first original story, RockStar. Under the name AD Michaelis, RockStar can be read on Fanfiction's sister site FictionPress and on Wattpad. You can go to my profile on Fanfiction and click on the links. If I'm an author on your Author Alerts you'll receive an email anytime I update on FictionPress.

I am excited and nervous at the same time for you all to see what I can do with my own characters pulled from the ether of my imagination. RockStar follows Onyx and Opal as they navigate their suddenly colliding lives on the plane of Shamira. If you all enjoyed reading my story The Powers That Be, then RockStar is one to look forward to. I hope you'll enjoy it.

Until Next Time