Contest Information: WOW! This fandom is AMAZING. I threw the idea of a contest out there thinking I'd get two, maybe three entries and I got a whopping FOURTEEN! And better yet, I've seen a growth in the number of Reds fic overall in the past few weeks (anyone else see that?). That makes me so unbelievably happy.

The poll will go up on my profile tomorrow (since the contest doesn't actually end until after today is over), and will be open until Friday, July 20th. Support your favorite fics by voting! Since there are so many entries, you'll be able to vote for up to THREE choices! Your votes, combined with my own opinion, will determine the winner of the Summer Reds Contest.

Anyways, since there's so many submissions, I compiled a list (ordered by date of entry) and a short summary of each. All of these should be under my favorites, if you can't find one. All of the authors put in a lot of work and I really appreciate it. So show them some love with lots of reviews!

1. Change by marisa lee: Blossom's life has fallen into a rut; she follows the same, boring routine each day. But a trip to the library and a chance encounter with a certain bad-boy-turned-good might provide the solution she's been waiting for.

2. It's Summer by NAWHdinosaurs: Blossom's peaceful summer nap is ever so rudely interrupted by everyone's favorite Rowdyruff. He starts to annoy her, but as they learn more about each other, she finds that maybe Brick isn't so bad after all.

3. Cherry Ice Cream by Pear-Shaped: Brick challenges Blossom to a sand-castle building competition. Blossom beats him and eagerly awaits her prize as Brick grumbles about her choice in flavor. But he quickly realizes that cherry ice cream has its perks.

4. The Hope of Trying to Read a Novel by Katty Taco Kisses: Blossom is more than content with reading her exciting new novel when Brick decides to interrupt her peace. After a while, they're surprised to find out that they can enjoy each other's company as well.

5. Midnight Feature by iamthecreator: Blossom's in the theater, watching a romance movie all by her lonesome. Brick decides to give her company, but in the process, finds out a few little-known facts about the pink puff. And Blossom might just learn some things from him too.

6. The Love Bug Knows No Boundaries by megmeg999: Brick and Blossom are the best of friends, but as time progresses, they find themselves slowing falling in love. The summer 'love bug' serves as a catalyst for their new relationship and fluff ensues! (Ch. 9 of A year with the Powerpuff Girls by megmeg999)

7. Integral Tranquility by FuschiaFire: Blossom has to leave Townsville on official Powerpuff duty and her absence leaves a hole in Brick's heart. While she's gone, he comes to terms with his real feelings towards her and greets her ardently upon her return.

8. Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Red Polka Dot Bikini by LoverofZIM: As Blossom flees the unwanted attention she's receiving from her new swimsuit, she bumps into her old enemy, Brick. Turns out he's changed, and it might not be for the better. A shocking twist ensues.

9. Hold On by amythist7: Blossom secretly loves racing and some bad luck has her in the front seat of the town's most notorious racer, Brick. She revels in the thrill of the race at his side, but a grave misunderstanding spells danger for Blossom. Good thing Brick's looking out for her!

10. A Simple Summer Job by TheAceAssassin: Brick visits Blossom at the exact same time each day to pester her at her summer job. She finds herself enjoying his carefully-timed visits and before she knows it, she finds herself entangled in his arms.

11. Hot Summer Love Story by kuku88: Blossom is earnestly trying to finish her summer novel when Brick interrupts. He pesters her and in frustration, she sends him away. But as she finishes the book, she finds herself changing her mind about him.

12. Summer by Izzy's Frizzies: Summer's a special time of year for Brick, considering it contains all of his milestones with Blossom. This is a sweet little look into their lives, and how the progression of time has changed the Reds' relationship.

13. Chicken Sandwich by Sorry I Just Did: Brick and Blossom reflect on the day at the beach two years before when they finally realized their feelings for each other. A game of chicken and a demand for a sandwich catalyzed their courtship, as the title suggests.

14. A Wet Summer Day by Mysterious Writer100: Brick takes Blossom out to the park on a sweltering summer day, and the heat drives them to a water balloon fight! Fluff and giggles ensue as the two redheads go after each other!

...

Now, onto my fic!

...

Author's Note: This piece was meant to be a oneshot, but I'm splitting it into 2 parts so y'all don't have to wait for the finished product. Props to amythist7 for my fabulous title!

In this oneshot, I'm kind of exploring a different Blossom- a more reserved, prideful, dry Blossom that embodies cold perfection. I'm naturally a warmer person and more inclined to put that trait into my characters, but I wanted to consciously reduce that. I feel like Bubbles is the kinder, sweeter one so this might be a more accurate characterization of the redhead. Let me know what you think!

As per my new personal rule, all long and juicy reviews will be rewarded with a sneak peek of a new work! I can't promise what it'll be of since I'm not sure what I'm writing next (another installation of SS, or the remainder of this oneshot, or a new oneshot entirely!), but I can promise that it'll be fabulous! ...Hopefully.

In other news, is anyone really excited that we can see how many faves/alerts every story has nowadays? I think it's pretty nifty.

Anyways, enjooy! :)

...

He ran a hand through his messy copper locks and stifled a yawn as he felt it arise. Rolling over to his side, he groaned when he saw the blonde he had entertained the night before still sound asleep in his king-sized bed. Craning his neck to get a look at the time, the sleepy redhead unceremoniously stepped out of bed, grabbed his shirt off the floor and left the bedroom with the slam of a shutting door.

As he walked out of his luxury apartment and into the hallway, the chiseled redhead pulled on his shirt. As much as he loved displaying his washboard abs, his crotchety elderly neighbors never appreciated them enough to spare him the lecture on public decency. He smirked at the fact that he had only one neighbor on the entire floor who had the patience for him.

His phone buzzed and he pulled the Android device from his pocket, only to frown at a notification. He had three new voicemails and he cringed when he saw who they were from. Groaning, he quickly typed in his password and listened to the messages in order to erase them.

"Hi, Brick! It's Aunt Ima! I met the most darling girl at my salon yesterday- you just HAVE to meet her! She's the sweetest thing and I know she'd be perfect for you. I'll bring her to Boomer's reception, how about that? She can't wait to meet you, and I'm sure you can't wait to meet her either! Call me back, sweetie. Kisses!"

"Brick, it's your Aunt Femme. You know I don't condone this bachelor lifestyle of yours. You need to settle down already and I have a few decent women in mind for you. I'm expecting you to return my call soon. I better see you next weekend at the wedding."

"Good morning, dear. It's Aunt Sara. I just wanted to check in on you! I know you're a grown boy and everything, but sometimes I worry about you. It must be terribly lonely living by yourself. Have you considered looking into a long-term relationship? I know some very wonderful young ladies you'd love; I'll have to introduce you to them at Boomer's wedding next Saturday! Anyways, see you soon. Lots of love!"

Brick cursed under his breath as he slid his finger across the screen to delete all three messages. His three aunts were always interfering with his life by trying to set him up with someone. He was thirty and completely satisfied with his life; he didn't need three crazy old ladies constantly messing with that.

Brick frowned. They just wanted to see him settled. If they thought he had a girlfriend, then maybe they would leave him alone. ...But where could Brick find a girlfriend at such short notice?

A solution to his conundrum materialized as he reached a familiar pink door. He smirked. Jabbing the doorbell, he crossed his arms and waited for his favorite neighbor to greet him at her door.

...

Blossom hummed to herself as she stepped out of her warm shower, with a plush towel wrapped snugly around her. It was early morning, but she had just returned home from her long shift at the hospital and was in desperate need of hot water. She rubbed the steam from her wall-length mirror and smiled once she saw her bare complexion, devoid of her normal make-up and surgical mask. She had sharp features and piercing pink eyes that fit her face perfectly.

Pulling out her ceramic hair dryer, she tilted her head to the side as she began to comb through her wet locks and dry them until they shone. Though her hair was long- almost half-way down her back- it was on the thin side, so it dried rather quickly. She was about to step into a fresh outfit when the familiar buzz of her doorbell sounded. She glanced at the clock and rolled her eyes knowingly before she stepped out of her bathroom to answer the door.

She knew the sensible thing would've been to change out of her towel and into appropriate clothing before receiving guests, but there was really no point in making him wait. Last time she forced him to be patient, she almost had to replace her doorbell battery and nearly her ears after he kept buzzing the damn ringer.

With the click of a lock, she pulled the door open and raised an inquiring eyebrow at the man behind it, though she herself had no questions.

"Heya, neighbor."

Blossom simpered, "A regular morning for you, Brick?" she asked rhetorically as she turned away once he entered.

It had been months since they had fallen into this regular routine: Brick would spend his mornings hiding out at Blossom's place while he waited for his overnight guest to vacate his premises. She called it callous and cowardly, but he found it an economic solution to a constant problem. It prevented him from women getting overly attached to him and if one was especially clingy, all he had to do was imply he was in a relationship with Blossom before his female friend from the night before took the hint.

She pretended to be his girlfriend every now and then, and the two redheads found themselves falling into a comfortable lull marked by bantering, dry humor and mutual understanding. Brick got an easy escape from a multitude of awkward situations and Blossom got... Well, Brick just assumed she received the gift of normal human interaction, something the workaholic rarely experienced.

Her back towards him, she missed the appreciative glance he sent as his eyes grazed over each of her curves attentively. He had never looked at her like that before. But then again, he had never seen her in nothing but a towel until that morning.

"Is that coffee I smell, Blossy?" Brick inquired as he plopped down on her crimson sofa.

"Help yourself. It should be ready by now," she replied, making her way back to her bedroom.

"The towel's a good look on you, Pinky," he called out to her as she slammed her bedroom door shut, muffling her undoubtedly sarcastic response.

Brick chuckled in response as he made his way to the kitchen island and pulled out two mugs from her cabinet before filling them with coffee. In the duration of their odd friendship, he had learned quite a few things about Blossom- including that she took her coffee with milk and way too much sugar. He stirred their drinks and placed them on the table, then casually leaned back in her plush chair. Brick craned his neck to get a glimpse of his apartment from her open door to see if he was safe to return.

He wasn't.

"You're in a good mood today," Blossom commented dryly as she returned, clad in a pink floral sundress. Her shimmering auburn locks were pulled up in a high ponytail and she wore a dash of mascara and lipgloss, giving her a fresh look that hid her sleepless night at the hospital.

"Good morning to you too, beautiful," Brick replied jovially as he handed her a pink mug with her coffee.

Blossom simpered, "Okay, now I know something's wrong," she narrowed her eyes as she carefully took a sample of the concoction he had handed her. Surprised that he had nailed her taste perfectly, the petite redhead's eyes widened before she continued drinking.

"Nothing's wrong... Per se," Brick prevaricated, drawing out his words. Blossom quirked an eyebrow in interest. "Unless you're curious, Ice Princess."

"How do you manage to concoct such brilliant nicknames?" she asked sardonically. Not that she'd ever admit how perfectly he'd nailed her personality with the last one. Blossom always kept a strong handle on her emotions, rarely deviating from the mask of dry wit, sarcasm and haughty pride she used to shield herself against the world.

"It's a gift," he shrugged. "Now... How would you like to be my girlfriend?" he asked slowly, his mouth curving into a smirk.

Blossom nearly dropped her cup of coffee. Quickly catching herself, she hid her shock at his bizarre question and managed to calmly ask, "What?" Her voice came out dangerously low.

"I... need a girlfriend for my brother's wedding next week. My family won't leave me alone until they think I'm settled down," he explained.

"So you're going to lie to your concerned family for your own selfish interests?" Blossom asked. Without giving him time to respond, she shrugged, "Seems reasonable," she added dryly.

"I'm glad you see my point," Brick grinned.

Blossom frowned, "Well, as much I'd love to, I can't. My best friend's getting married next Saturday. I'm the maid of honor," she let some pride slip into her words. She didn't have a lot of friends, but the ones that she had, she held very dear.

Brick cursed. That was the same date as Boomer's wedding. "That's damn shame. I bet Boomer would've loved to meet you. Bubbles, too." He lied. He didn't know if either of them would've liked Blossom. But she seemed nice enough for it to seem logical.

She had gone white though. "Bubbles and Boomer?"

Brick nodded soundlessly.

"Shit," she muttered audibly.

Brick immediately perked up, "You aren't best friends with a Bubbles by any chance, are you?" he smirked. Blossom sent him a withering glare. "Perfect. That means we're both going to the wedding anyways. Now, what do you say?" he sent her a dazzling, irresistible grin.

Instead of answering his question, she posed a new one. "Out of all the women who fall at your feet, why pick me, the only one who hasn't?"

"They'd all get silly notions of love and romance and shit," Brick said casually. "You're cool, Blossy. You don't care about that stuff. I mean, you're pretty much one of us guys," he replied proudly, as if he was paying her the highest compliment.

She narrowed her eyes, "Words every girl loves to hear," she said wryly.

"So, is that a yes?" Brick raised an eyebrow challengingly.

No. Never. Not in a million years. I'd never go near a womanizer of your stature.

"Fine," she found herself saying instead.

...

"You never have time for me, anymore," a pouty voice said forlornly on the other line.

"I'm so sorry, Bubbles. All of these extra shifts at Towns Gen have me swamped," Blossom sighed as she walked up the stairs to her top-floor apartment. There wasn't anything wrong with the elevator, but one of the reasons she was in such good shape was that she climbed 20 flights of stairs on a normal basis.

"It's okay... You're still coming to the dress fitting tomorrow, right?"

"Of course! I wouldn't miss it for the world," she replied honestly.

"Yay! Do you have a date for the wedding? Oh, what I am asking- of course you don't. You never do, Blossom. Good thing I know the perfect gentleman and he's totally-"

Blossom interrupted her friend's excited flurry, "Actually, I do have a date," she corrected. If she was going to fake being Brick's girlfriend, she might as well get something out of it as well.

"Really?" her blonde friend asked incredulously. "Who?"

"My boyfriend," the redhead answered simply.

"You have a boyfriend?" Bubbles exclaimed, nearly deafening Blossom on the other side of the line. "Why didn't you tell me?" she cried.

An inkling of guilt stabbed her. She shouldn't lie to her best friend, one of the only people in the world who cared so much about her. "I... um, well, it happened so quickly," she explained. "I kept meaning to tell you, but between all the wedding prep, I didn't get the chance."

"Oh my goodness, Blossom! I am so sorry! That is so like me- totally ignoring you so I can talk about my own life. I can't believe how thoughtless I am!" Bubbles berated herself.

Blossom felt the stab of guilt sink in deeper, "No, don't feel bad, Bubbles. It was my fault," she said softly, biting her lip.

"Okay... So how long have you been together?" she asked curiously.

Blossom had no idea. They needed to make up a fake backstory if they were going to fool anyone. "A little while now," she replied vaguely.

"Well, at least tell me this, is he cute? Is it anyone I know?" the blue-eyed blonde asked eagerly.

The petite redhead gave a sigh of relief. Finally, something she could be honest about. "Yeah, actually. He's pretty hot," she answered, but paused when she realized what she had just said. Brick wasn't attractive; he was just a callous womanizer who was way too familiar with her apartment. Where had that bizarre thought come from? She cleared her throat, "But yes, you know him. He's Boomer's brother, Brick."

"...Brick?" Blossom could hear friend's jaw drop over the line. "You're not serious."

"I am," she suddenly felt defensive. "What's wrong with him?"

"Everything! Oh, Blossom! He's a terrible person! You should've seen the way he flirted with every single woman at my engagement dinner. And Boomer's birthday party. And our two year anniversary celebration!" the blonde cried.

Why didn't he didn't flirt with me?

Blossom immediately shook the traitorous thought away and tuned back into her friend's ranting.

"He's such a... Such a... Such a reprobate!" she finally exclaimed.

Blossom's brow furrowed quizzically at her friend's odd choice in vocabulary, "He's really not like that anymore," she said, suddenly feeling defensive. She couldn't stand to hear Bubbles malign her boyfriend. Her pretend boyfriend, she quickly amended.

"He's not the type that stays faithful," the blonde said gently. "Blossom, I just can't stand to see you hurt."

"Don't worry. He can't hurt me," she said softly. But as the words left her mouth, she questioned them. She wasn't invincible, and if strange emotions kept accosting her every time she had a conversation about him... She preferred not to finish that thought.

"Alright," Bubbles sighed in acquiescence. "I believe you. And I'm happy that you've finally found someone. But be careful, alright?"

"Right. Thanks, Bubbles. I'll see you tomorrow!" she ended the call and shoved her Android in one of the many pockets of her pale pink scrub pants.

She had a lot of things she needed to figure out. And soon.

Blossom sighed as she finally reached the 20th floor and stepping into the hallway, she made a sharp turn on impulse. She could very well address a few important matters right this moment. It was still early, and Brick may not have left for work just yet. She rapped her knuckles against his dark wood door and stepped back.

"Blossy? To what do I owe this honor?" the familiar redhead grinned as he pulled open his door.

Blossom swallowed as she noticed he hadn't buttoned his crisp white shirt yet, giving her full access to his chiseled abs. They were a tad distracting, to put it lightly. "Do you always answer your door half-naked?" she asked sharply as she stepped in. She'd never visited his apartment before and found herself rather surprised by his tidy den. The decor reeked of masculinity, but had an air of class as well.

"Says the woman who wore nothing but a towel when she invited me in yesterday," Brick smirked as he turned towards a wall mirror to admire his reflection. He started to fasten the buttons. Blossom looked on with a wave of... Disappointment? She shook her head. It was ridiculous to think such ludicrous thoughts.

"We need to talk about a few things," the petite redhead started firmly.

Brick quirked an eyebrow as he made eye contact with her through the mirror, "When do those words ever bode well for anyone?" he asked dryly.

She ignored him and continued, "If we're to be in a fake relationship, I'd like to lay down a few ground rules."

"Such as...?" Brick looked at her lazily as he clasped the last button.

"Well, if we were really dating, you wouldn't be sleeping with every woman in Townsville, for starters."

That caught Brick's attention and he turned around sharply to face her. "Excuse me?" His glare would have withered a lesser soul.

"I can't date you, or have people believe that I'm dating you," she quickly amended, "If you can't stay faithful," Blossom explained, recalling her earlier conversation with Bubbles.

"Except we're not actually sleeping together," Brick pointed out, and his observation sent a burst of heat down her spine. Blossom felt the sudden desire to change that fact, but her sense quickly squashed the bizarre impulse.

"It doesn't matter," her voice sounded much stronger than she felt. "You're not sleeping with anyone until we're done with this charade. And that's final. I'm not going to let people think I can't keep my boyfriend happy." She regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth.

"I'm sure you could if you put your mind to it," he grinned wolfishly at her as he grabbed his scarlet tie and placed it around his collar.

Blossom glared. "There's another matter as well. We need to get our facts straight by- What are you doing?" she gazed at him carefully as he began knotting his tie.

"Riding a unicycle," he deadpanned. Brick looked at her, "What does it look like I'm doing?"

"You're not tying that right," Blossom shook her head. The perfectionist within her couldn't resist closing the gap between them so that she could rectify that fact. She removed the tie and carefully repositioned it across his broad shoulders and her dexterous fingers quickly began to work.

"I've been tying my own ties since I-" his resistance melted the moment her fingers made contact with his warm skin right above his topmost button. It inflamed him and all cogent thoughts left Brick.

Blossom wasn't untouched by the contact either and her gaze quickly fell from his deep crimson eyes as she finished the knot. "There. That's how it's done," she said weakly, stepping away. She looked up and forced a smile.

"Thank you," Brick's voice was deep and rumbled, sending shivers down Blossom's spine.

She quickly lost her resolve and turned away, "Well, I'll let you get back to your things," she said rapidly, making a bee-line for his door, completely forgetting about the issues she meant to address earlier.

She was out of hearing range soon, so she couldn't hear his reply. But she wouldn't have been able to hear it anyways over the sound of her beating heart. Blossom bit her lip and entered her own apartment, sighing a breath of relief as she leaned against her door.

...

So remember... Long, juicy reviews equal a sneak peek of my next update! So don't be afraid to leave me one! :D

And voting starts tomorrow. Thanks again to everyone who participated in the contest!