Retarded in Love
An Ace and Buttercup Story

Chapter Three: But It's Still a Feeling

"Buttercup," I heard Ace call out from behind me.

My hands clenched into fists and I squeezed my eyes shut. Part of me wanted to turn around and see what he had to say. The other part just wanted me to just crawl into my bed and forget this whole mess. I decided to follow what my heart was saying rather than my head. I turned around and gave Ace a cold stare that quickly melted away at the sight of him. "What is it," I asked quietly.

"Look I'm sorry I didn't give you a decent explanation. I can't think of a decent one to be honest with you. I just think it would be a lot better if we never hung out again."

I glared at him and my lip began to tremble. "You have no clue what I have been through in the past ten years Ace," I snapped. "Just seeing you after all these years seemed to make all the pain and all the suffering seem to go away. I don't want to stop seeing you, to stop being your friend, or to stop anything else that may happen."

I fell on my knees on the hard street and stared at the ground. I tried very hard to stop my crying but the tears continued to pour along with the rain. I felt Ace place his jacket over my shoulders. The scent had not washed away yet and I took in a deep breath of it to calm me. I saw him kneel in front of me. He carefully lifted my head up and our eyes met. "I'm so sorry Buttercup," he whispered.

We stared at each other for several minutes before I finally through my arms around his neck and into a tight squeeze. I felt him wrap his arms gently around my thin, shaking body. He carefully lifted me up and began to carry me towards the apartment building. "Why are you taking me back here," I asked in my groggy state of confusion.

"Several reasons," he mumbled refusing to look at me.

I was tempted to ask him what the reasons were, but I was too tired to ask. "He's so warm, maybe if I just close my eyes for a moment," I thought struggling to stay awake. "You really want to give him the wrong idea, to give him another reason for you two not to be around each other," my conscious responded harshly.

I cringed at that thought and bit my tongue. "Are you alright," I heard him ask.

"I'm fine, can you please put me down." I could hear the defeat and sadness in my voice.

"No, you're too tired and upset to make it back to your place or mine on your own."

I glared up at him and kicked him sharply in the side. He let out a cry of pain and dropped me from my waist down, but still supported my upper body. I quietly moved so I stood a little bit away from him. "Shit," he said rubbing his side. "I forgot how hard you could kick."

I folded my arms and laughed. "Serves you right for not listening to me; it wasn't even a hard kick."

"Then maybe I have been gone too long," he muttered quietly.

"Will you please tell me what you wanted too," I pleaded.

"Buttercup," he began walked towards me slowly. "What you said before about how you don't want us to stop being friends, or anything else. What did you mean?"

My cheeks grew slightly pink. I pushed a lock of my wet black hair behind my ear and looked at the small smile on his face. "I think you know exactly what I meant."

He walked closer to me; his face was inches away from mine. I was absolutely positive he could hear my heart pounding in my chest. I looked into his dark bloodshot eyes and my breathe was lost. "Well, what if I told you that it didn't matter to me anymore," he whispered.

My eyes widened at his words and I took in a breath of surprise. "What made you change your mind," I managed to ask.

It was almost as if his grin never left his face. He leaned closer, "Because if we didn't see each other I couldn't do this."

His lips brushed against mine. They were unbelievably warm and soft. The taste was a mix of cigarettes and alcohol. My eyes closed as I wrapped my arms around his neck to deepen the kiss, my fingers lacing themselves in his black hair. The rain felt a lot softer on my skin as Ace wrapped his arms around my waist. I pulled away from him slowly and rested my forehead against his. "Does that answer your question," he asked flashing me his fanged grin.

I shrugged and gave him a small smirk. He chuckled softly and kissed my neck. The rain was starting to fade away and the sun began to peak over the horizon. I pulled myself away from him and sighed. "I better leave."

"I'll see you tonight?"

I kissed his cheek. His skin was much rougher there than his lips. "Tonight, the park."

He nodded and I flew off to my house. The sun wasn't quite up yet as I approached my house, replaying the nights events in my head. I placed my fingertips on my lips; I could still feel the warmth of his lips on mine. I carefully pushed my window open and climbed inside. I pulled off my wet clothes and put on some dry clothes, mentally praying that Blossom and Bubbles didn't hear me. There was a quiet knock on my door. I froze in place and looked at myself in the mirror. My hair was damp, my face was flushed, and I looked a little too awake for whatever the time currently was. I grabbed a hair tie that Bubbles left in here and pulled my hair back with it. "Buttercup," I heard Blossom's voice ask from the other side of the door.

"Come in," I told her as I sat down on my bed.

Blossom opened the door slowly and walked in. She was in that fluffy pink robe of hers and her hair was in its usual ponytail. "I just came in to see if you had my-"

Her voice cut off as soon as she saw me. "You're hair is wet. I didn't hear the shower running." She paused and looked me over more. "Where were you last night?"

"I just went out for a walk."

"You seem to be doing a lot of those now. I heard you come in at three in the morning last night."

My eyes narrowed and I folded my arms at her. "Is it really any of your business?"

"Well as your older sister, yes. I want to know why you are going out and with who."

I was certain if looks could kill that this situation would be a homicide. I glared at Blossom and my lips formed a scowl. "Is it Mitch," Blossom began to guess, beaming at the fact that she was getting to me. "Or maybe even Butch."

I couldn't help it, I laughed at her sad attempts to guess and her smile quickly turned to a frown. "You better tell me or I'll tell the Professor," she threatened.

"I wasn't sneaking out to see anyone," I told her simply.

"Really?"

"Yes," I lied again.

She looked at me skeptically than nodded. This was just the beginning of my series of lies.


A/n: Well there's chapter three. Chapter four will probably be out later than this one. I'm really busy with the musical at my school (practice is going to run until eight next week and nine the week after that and all through April). I'll try and get it out though. Hope you guys liked it!