NOT MY TYPE by katocchi
9. Seriously. Every fucking experience.
warnings: suggestive beginning? they're not even making out
"Brick," she giggles, pressing another kiss under his chin. Her hands drift down his chest, and he really, really wants to enjoy the sensation but finds himself matching her actions emptily. "Brick."
Is she going to say anything other than his name? Brick bites back another sigh as she burrows deeper into his arms. This wasn't what he was expecting when he invited a cheerleader―Amy? Megan? Nami? What's her name again?―to a janitor's closet after the football game. Butch made it sound so fun and exhilarating, and Brick has to admit that if this happened only a few months earlier, he'd have no trouble locking himself in a small room with any short-skirted girl who winked his way, but it was different now. He barely knows why, so he can't explain to this poor girl why he isn't responding with as much fervor as she was promised. When her hands brush against his open collar again, he grasps her waist and eases her off his lap.
"Listen...Caitlyn." He pauses, but in the dull glow of a singular light bulb that needs to be changed, her face remains confused. He must've guessed correctly. "You're sweet, but I'm not feeling it today."
Now she's angry. She looks ready to slap him, but against a Jojo, the slap would probably hurt her more than him. Still, it's the thought that counts, so she sweeps dirty rags off a shelf and throws them into his face. Brick grimaces in silence. Deserved that one, he figures.
"Guess the rumors are true after all," she hisses, groping around for another cleaning item to dump on him. "All the girls before chased after a second chance, but you're just selfish, huh? Such. A. Let. Down."
Sponges bouncing off his shoulder emphasize each syllable. It's awfully dramatic for making out in a closet.
"Ever since you started hanging out with that...that bug-eyed freak, you've gone frigid." She reaches for a bucket, but his hand shoots out and latches onto her wrist hard enough to be uncomfortable.
His eyes flash, lasers becoming a familiar burn in the back of his head. "Don't call her that."
"Don't waste my time then." She scoffs and straightens her clothes. Smooths out invisible wrinkles and non-existent dust.
As she leaves, door slamming behind her, Brick hangs his head between his knees and groans. Fuck. Fuck. Seriously, only Blossom can single-handedly destroy his high school love life. He wouldn't call himself a playboy, but the Rowdyruff Boys, once the whole world domination thing ended, became the resident bad boys and took advantage of the popularity spike. Boomer was the first to dip out, preferring to chase after Bubbles's affections. Brick didn't withdraw completely, but trying to be top of their class reduced his weekend prowls. Butch is the only one still flaunting his flirtatious ways, but even he's starting to favor Buttercup's company, regardless of whether it ends in a fist fight.
The Rowdyruffs were created to defeat the Powerpuffs, so like it or not, Brick's life centers around Blossom; it isn't an exaggeration to say she's his purpose. Through he and his brothers escaped from Mojo Jojo's clutches and struggled to establish new identities, he's doomed to orbit around her. A blessing and a curse. Fucking Powerpuffs.
He gets up and kicks open the door. At the far end of the hallway, Caitlyn gives him one last withering glare before going into the cheerleaders' locker room. He doesn't need future vision or super hearing to know that she'll talk shit about him. Sighing, he turns around to leave and stops dead in his tracks.
At the other far end of the hallway is Blossom staring wide-eyed. Her gaze flickers from the locker room to him to the closet, back and forth until her cheeks flush. Why is she the one embarrassed? Shouldn't he be the one trying to avoid her eyes?
Her shoes lift off the ground, and he swears wind rushes against his face as her iconic pink streak flies past him, tailing after Caitlyn. Oh. Well, that's new―she rarely uses her powers in school. She touches down feet away.
"Bloss!" he calls out, spinning on his heel. She doesn't stop walking. He calls her name again. "Wait up, I'll go with you."
The walk to the locker room isn't long at all, but he jogs up and falls into step with her. Though her stride is slow, he knows that she's a fast walker when she wants to be, so hopefully this is a good sign.
"I didn't see or hear anything, if that's what you're worried about," she says in her unaffected, professional tone, but he'd be a bad counterpart if he didn't notice the way her crossed arms tightened. That, and the blush is still there, contrasting sharply with the school initials painted under her eyes. "I'm not one for contributing to the rumor mills."
"Didn't say you were."
"Though it wouldn't kill you to choose a slightly less populated hallway, like the third floor or by the library―"
"Oh? Well-versed in hook up spots, are you?" He stuffs his hands into his pockets, ignoring her sputtering attempts at explaining herself, and nods at the bundle she's carrying. "What's that for?"
She squints at him before dropping her subject. "It's a change of clothes for Bubbles. It's cold, and she's going to an after party with Boomer and her cheer team." She looks up at the locker room door as they draw to a stop. The walk really wasn't long. "Tell Butch he did well today, getting the last touchdown."
"You can tell him yourself. Kid does a mini-celebration every time you text him and he's not in trouble."
"I'll keep that in mind."
She mutters a quick goodbye and heads in without a second glance. Brick shakes his head with a faint smile, leaning his shoulder against the wall. She's not getting out of it that easily. Butch always called him a stubborn bastard; he has to live up to the name sometimes. Butch might have things to say about chasing after a Powerpuff's attention...but if he never finds out, well.
It's only a few minutes before she's out the door again, giggling something to the other girls as she flutters her fingers behind her. The giggle is cut off when she meets his gaze. Raising her eyebrows, she sticks out her hip and crosses her arms―all confidence and arrogance, and God, he loves it when she does that.
"Was my goodbye not clear enough?" she asks.
"You forgot something."
He can practically see the gears turning in her brain as she rips through her mental checklists. Finding nothing, she sighs. "What?"
He stoops over, presenting his cheek with an exaggerated expression that Blossom huffs at. "My thank you kiss," he says innocently, but Jojos are never innocent.
As he expected, she flushes instantly, sputtering a string of insults and refusals that start with insolent and end with fool.
"For walking with me for two seconds? Is this not extortion?" she exclaims, but he doesn't move, and in the competition of who caves to the other first, it's always her. According to him, at least, though their siblings think otherwise. They're wrong.
"Fine," she mumbles and places gentle fingers on his jaw, feather-light, to keep him in place. It's a quick, split-second press of her lips, but it's enough to make his shit-eating grin widen, and he draws back with a satisfied harrumph.
"Thank ya kindly. I'll be on my way now," he says, tipping his cap in farewell. "See you around."
It's his turn to dart down the hallway, leaving behind an incriminating red streak. He caught sight of Bubbles leaving the changing rooms just as her sister kissed him, and the way her jaw dropped nearly made him laugh on the spot, but he values his life and his ear drums, so a hasty escape is needed before the youngest Utonium's shrill voice can demand answers from an undoubtedly flustered Blossom.
As much as he values his life, he also values these little moments too much to give them up. He isn't discouraged by the spreading rumors nor Bubbles's nosiness, but he might avoid the other two sisters―and his brothers. Whatever Bubbles knows, Boomer immediately knows―until his on-sight clowning isn't guaranteed. He brushes his knuckles over his cheek fondly.
The first thank you kiss was a joke, him egging her on as usual and her refusing to back down from his silly challenge. They were both a mess afterwards, but he was the first one to recover, commending her balls for calling his bluff. Since then, he's gotten greedy, finding any and every excuse to get her reluctantly given forms of gratitude.
"Brick fucking Jojo―"
"Big Bro, where are ya―"
"My fuckin' man! You owe me $5, Bubs!"
"Briiick!"
Four different voices picked up by his super hearing. Brick chuckles lowly and takes to the sky as soon as he's outside. He'll deal with this another time.
a/n.
tl;dr blossom kissed him on the cheek once as a thank you and now he can't be with other girls HAH. i actually didn't change much from the original draft. i liked how...high school this felt, even if it didn't make sense with the previous characterizations. next chapter is the last chapter! leave a review if you liked :)
next chapter: she's too―. some upcoming monday, 2022.
aeris (check my carrd for other accounts!)
