'There isn't any unguarded house, Brick.' Boomer said as they landed on the sand of a larger island.

'You don't need to say that again, I think we've all seen it with our own eyes.' Brick retorted, slightly irritated.

'What do we do then? Didn't you say we could rent..?' Blossom dared to ask, looking away in the distance. Her stomach growled, it was already afternoon, they had been at it since the early hours of the morning.

'I've looked online, the prices for houses that fulfill both our desired level of privacy and comfort are above 500$ a night. We could do that, but I'd rather we did it if there isn't any option left.'

'I say we go the silencing way. Didn't you say that I should threaten and manipulate more? Or you could prepare not to look while I silence them the old-fashioned way.' Butch grinned sadistically.

'First of all, I'm going to pretend I didn't hear the last part.' Brick retorted, sending him a biting look. 'Secondly, how do you know they'll keep their mouths shut for two weeks, Butch? What if they send people after us? I'm not that sweet on being disturbed in the middle of the night by humans.'

'We could just stuff them all in a room.' Butch suggested.

' And live with the stress of having to provide food for them and bathroom breaks so they don't stink up the place? No, thanks.' Brick replied irritated, pacing up and down the beach.

'Don't you have any... acquaintance that could provide for us?' Blossom intervened.

'I do, but I don't wanna risk them knowing our location for two full weeks. I don't fully trust my... associates.'

An uncomfortable silence fell over them as Brick paced up and down the shore.

'Why are you so uncomfortable with renting?You most likely have the money, stolen or not.' Blossom dared to ask.

He gave her a strange look then continued pacing. Boomer answered in his stead:

'We've never really rented anything in our life. We just...take.'

'Yea, Flossy, and there's never been a problem with that until you came along with your magic cunt.' Butch taunted, and in the next second Brick was at his neck, grabbing him by the lapels.

'I thought we already talked about this, Butch.' he confronted him, seemingly cool and collected.

'Yeah, man, sure.' he hissed through gritted teeth.

'We'll rent one of the private islands.' Brick sighed, letting go of his brother. 'Boomer, this better be worth it for you.'

He started texting and moved further up on the beach to have enough privacy to make the necessary calls.

'Yeah, Boomer, you'd better enjoy this. I'm kinda tired of this stupid act of yours. Just get a fucking grip already.'

Boomer just looked away in the distance, avoiding his brother's gaze.

'I'm sorry, but if you and Brick are both so...against Boomer's preferences, why don't you just let him live by himself for a while? He could just live as a normal person and not attract any attention towards himself.' Blossom dared to say, gazing earnestly into Butch's eyes.

Boomer took a look at her, shaking his head, a blank look in his eyes. Butch replied, slightly amused:

'Wait a minute...are you trying to separate us, puff? Cause it sure seems like it.'

'No, I'm just saying...' Blossom started, but soon got interrupted.

'Shit, it's more serious than I thought. Now you're trying to separate us so we're easier to capture. Well, think again, shitface, because we're BROTHERS.' he barked back, nearly shouting the last word.

'We stick together no matter what. You can't break a blood bond like ours.' he theatrically punched his own chest. 'Of course, you wouldn't understand that since you left your sisters for Brick.' Butch said sharply, hoping for a reaction.

Blossom felt a pang of guilt in her chest, and desperately tried not to retort.

'Cut it out, Butch. You're making her feel uncomfortable.' Boomer muttered under his breath.

'Oh, she deserves to feel uncomfortable. You're not one of us, Flossy, let it be clear. I've got my eyes on you.' he pointed two fingers at his eyes and then at her.

'It's fine, if I ever got on your good side I'd take it as a sign that something is seriously wrong with me.' Blossom retorted giving him a biting smile.

Brick returned, still texting on his phone.

'I've got us a private island for the next two weeks, I've made sure it's well stacked so we wouldn't have to leave that often. It's cost an embarrassing amount of money, but I think it's adequate enough for our needs. I made sure the staff is absent for our stay. Apparently it's ready for us in a few hours.'

'Great!' Boomer replied enthusiastically. 'When do we leave?'

'Is there anything special you think you might need during the stay? I don't want us to leave the island that often.'

'We should get stacked up on pills and booze, Brick. If I'm stuck there I might as well have a good time.' he winked at Blossom, giving her a lewd smile.

'Fine, I'll send you the exact coordinates. You guys can go get the pills, I'll keep Blossom with me, we'll meet you there in about three hours.'

'I hope you'll miss me, sweet cheeks.' Butch mockingly waved her goodbye as he grabbed Boomer and left.

As he watched them go, Brick started hovering himself above the sand, grabbing his counterpart's hand:

'Are you alright? You seem very tired.' he asked, eyeing her curiously.

'I'm fine, just hungry.'

'We could get a bite before reaching the island. Does Japan sound good to you?'

'Yet another country you haven't visited yet, Blossom.'

'Sure, fine by me. Lead the way.'

He casually grabbed her close and gave her a quick peck on the lips. This made Blossom shiver, somehow that simple peck implied more intimacy than his long, hungry kisses.

They left the beach together, flying hand in hand and reached the Japanese southern coast in no time. They landed on the edges of what seemed like a fishing town.

'Sashimi? Do you like it? I feel like having some.' Brick turned towards her, gripping her hand tighter.

She felt bad to admit that she'd only had store bought sushi, nobody in her family was particularly fond of fish, not enough to actually go to a fancy restaurant, anyway.

'I haven't had any, but I could try some, why not?'she replied, keeping up with his pace.

'If I didn't know better, I'd say you bring up stuff I haven't tried yet to make me feel inadequate.' she probed him, waiting for a reaction.

He smirked, not turning to meet her gaze:

'I'm glad you know better, then.'

Brick checked his phone for nearby restaurants, and they soon arrived at the entrance of a small, cozy restaurant. The few people sitting at the tables outside eyed them up and down, they clearly weren't used to such a sight: two young, redheaded foreigners visiting their small village.

'You can wait here. I'm going inside to talk to the owner and the chef.'

Blossom gulped and nodded in agreement. She wondered if he would threaten them or just ask for a menu. Knowing him, probably the former.

She sat down at an empty table as the elderly men studied her. The establishment was tiny, it was clearly not meant for foreigners, so she did feel slightly uneasy until Brick made his way back to her.

He stood across from her and enthusiastically said:

'We're getting sashimi. Tuna sashimi served with wasabi and soy sauce, to be precise.'

She had never seen him so giddy, somehow watching him get this excited about food seemed weird.

'Why is it weird? You don't know him at all. For all you know he might be playing with Barbie dolls in his spare time and you wouldn't know.'

'What's your favourite food?' she found herself blurting out:

Brick squinted his eyes at her, seemingly confused.

'Forgive me, but...why the sudden interest in trivial details concerning me? Are we past the existential philosophical questions? Nearing the boring old couple stage of our relationship?' he teased her, folding his hands together.

'Yes, you bore me to tears with your villain speeches, I'd rather hear something more human every once in a while. You know how fond I am of them.' she teased back, taking Brick by surprise.

'Fair enough. I like pizza the most.' he replied casually, playing with the cuff of his shirt.

'Pizza??!?' she exclaimed, not attempting to hide her shock.

'Yeah, pizza. What about it?' he quickly asked, his cool façade cracking.

'Oh, nothing, mine's probably pizza, too. I just didn't expect it.'

'I know. You think that I wouldn't go for something as trivial considering how many different things I've tried.' he replied, regaining his composure. 'But some things never change.' he said pensively.

He snapped out of it and addressed a question of his own:

'Favourite sister?' his blood red eyes bore into hers.

'You can't seriously ask that.' Blossom shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

'I can and I just did. Tell me.' he insisted, touching one of her hands.

'I don't have one.'

'Don't lie. Everyone has one, don't you think they do?'

'I stand by my answer.' Blossom replied, a half-smile curling up her lip.' What about you?'

'Boomer' he simply answered, folding his arms behind his head.

'Why?'

'He's hard not to love, you've seen it yourself. And Butch is, quite frankly, the opposite.' he added.' Boomer is also the youngest, Butch's got quite the soft spot for him as well. Do you think we would have accepted this two week exile otherwise?'

' 'Exile' is an overstatement...'

' You're right, I'm exaggerating. I just don't enjoy staying too long in one place.'

The cook approached them with a plate covered with fresh thinly sliced tuna bits, accompanied by a small bowl of soy sauce and one with green, spicy smelling wasabi.

'Itadakimasu.' Brick said, bowing his head towards the cook. The cook bowed his head in response and returned to the kitchen.

Brick used chopsticks to grab a slice of tuna, dipped it into the sauce and bit into it, urging Blossom to do the same. She clumsily attempted to use the chopsticks, finally managing to pick up a piece as well.

'First kiss?' he suddenly asked, prompting her to drop the piece of fish.

'That's easy, it's you. Back then, years ago...'

'Besides that. First real kiss.' he pressed on, pushing for an answer.

'Freshman Year of Highschool, Bobby Moore, a senior who took me to prom with him. He kissed me at the end of the night.' she answered in one breath, not breaking his gaze. 'You?'

'4 years ago, a Canadian girl... We met in a bookstore.'

'What was her name?'

'I forgot. It's been a long time, we only spent a few hours together.' he said, rubbing his forehead in an attempt to remember.

'It wasn't so memorable, then.' Blossom quietly added, watching him behind her lashes.

Brick seemed amused as he studied her attempts to grip one of the slices.

'Oh, but it was, you know how teenagers are, I thought about it for days afterwards. I still miss her...' he taunted Blossom while sampling the wasabi.

'The girl you don't remember the name of..?

'..pretty sure it was Julie, she had French heritage, you know? Very classy girl.' he continued, barely stifling a laugh.

She managed to put a piece into her mouth, it was so thin and delicate, it almost melted like butter.

'Do you like it?' I think it's one of the better ones I've had.'

'It's... interesting. Needs some getting used to. But I can see myself acquiring the taste.'

'Are you still talking about the fish?' he poked at her.

'Don't flatter yourself.'

'I'm not wrong.' he muttered softly, grabbing her chin.

Blossom felt her skin burn under his fingers, accentuating as his thumb pressed against her lower lip.

'First person you killed..? she asked as he let go of her lip.

'Is this a first date or an interview? Feels an awful lot like the latter.' he narrowed his eyes at her.

'You're the one who began asking uncomfortable questions.' she sat back in her chair, folding her arms together.

'Again, it was too long ago, probably when I was first...spawned.' he gave her a strange smile. 'How about you?'

'I haven't killed anyone.'

'Humans, you mean. But you have killed other beings, yes?'

'Why is that relevant..?'

'Well, for all we know the monsters you've killed might be their own 'persons' as well. Also, let's not forget, you've killed me.' he said, reaching across the table. '

'I guess I have. Do you still resent me for it?'

'I can't resent you for anything you've done, we all were raised to be biological weapons in somebody else's war. If anything, it's tragic. You were made to kill your own kind.'

An uncomfortable silence fell between them as they continued with their meal. When they were done Brick reached out for her hand and they walked together to the shore.

'What are you hiding from me?' he blankly asked as they made their way through the sand.

Blossom felt a claw gripping at her heart, guilt sinking its fangs deep into it.

'...W-what so you mean...?'

'I know something's not right, you left too early from Townsville, you were too...driven. I know you're hiding something.'

'You were killing people left and right, I couldn't allow that to happen anymore.'

'Tsk, it's not just that. But I'll figure it out, I'm on the lookout.' he playfully winked at her as they flew away into the horizon.