Life was not going so great for Blossom Utonium. In college, she was on the high of her life, until that dreadful Junior year. Truthfully, she was the only one to blame letting Brick Jojo back into her life. She baited him. She knew he wanted nothing to do with her this time around. They had disappeared in high school just before their Senior year. Just after Brick had taken her virginity. They weren't "a thing" then, but they were something. They were undeniably something.
"Whatcha got there Pinky?" Brick said from her window while she stuffed the pink vibrator back into the black bag.
"Nothing you need to worry about," she primly responded, floating to the window with her arms crossed.
He motioned to the latch on the window with an arched brow and Blossom rolled her eyes, letting him into her bedroom despite her better judgment. He quickly went for the bag and pulled out the device.
Blossom blushed scarlet but jut her chin out in defiance, "What? Never seen one before?"
Brick scoffed and waggled it between his fingers. "Mine's bigger," he smirked stepping into her personal space causing her to lift her head higher to meet his gaze. "Wanna see?"
"Absolutely not," she shoved him backward and he feigned injury.
"You know you want to Pinky," he sang while walking to sit on her bed.
What the hell made him so comfortable? He'd never visited her home before let alone been in her bedroom, and he's walking around like he owns the place. Like they were friends, no, as if they were actually close outside of their typical school banter. There was nothing more. So why was he here?
Blossom had been feeling different and even seeing different since she bought the vibrator. Now and then the room would get this rose tint to it. Always around that black bag, and recently whenever she was in Brick Jojo's presence. It must be an ailment, or maybe it was something else. Regardless, she didn't have time for Brick and his antics.
"What makes you think you can barge in here talking about sleeping with me when we aren't even friends," she stuck a hand on her hip and flung the other flippantly in his direction. "You don't even like me."
"I want to," he said cooly shrugging. "I didn't barge in here you let me in, there is something between us even if were aren't friends, and I want to."
Blossom blinked in shock then took a step back that he caught in a flash now mere inches from her face with his strong hands around her waist. Her heart thundered in her chest and the room was going hot pink while she stood in his arms frozen. Then he kissed her….
The sex was terrible, it should've been her first sign to stay away from Brick Jojo for good. It was so bad, it's what prompted her to use the vibrator for the first time, and the rest was history. Until they met again in college and he fucked the soul out of her body just to discover they were miserably incompatible when it came to dating.
They tried for years to make it work. Three years off and on. Yes, they had chemistry when it came to fucking, but anything deeper with him felt like pulling teeth. They couldn't communicate. He seemed to come across as elusive or withholding. Every time they would make headway in their emotional intimacy, they'd hit a wall and backtrack to where they were before. Never mind the fact that they were never official. If he just wanted to fuck, they should've just fucked but they went on dates, ran errands, and divulged too many secrets to each other for it to be just fucking. Finally, she was sick of it, and one month before her birthday she walked out of his apartment and told him to "figure out what he wanted and then get back to her." She hadn't heard from him since.
The "break up" threw her into a spiral. She had a career working for a woman's pleasure company, but it was no longer her passion. Without Brick, she struggled with intimacy and began to shut off around her loved ones. She wasn't passionate about being passionate anymore, and after spending years studying and perfecting a woman's passion and confidence she was at a loss. She had no drive, no direction, and was completely lost with what to do with herself at 25. The stress of having to be someone she wasn't in her career took its toll and she quit, deciding to move back home and start over, helping take care of the professor and his lab.
That was a year ago and somehow no matter how much she pushed herself and tried to get back out there, she was still in the same position. Taking care of their dad in her childhood home with only her sisters as her friends, and small hobbies to occupy her time. At least she had gotten better at cooking. It was time to host a family dinner this month.
Bubbles was in a similar situation she was with Boomer. They were explosive in college. The two created some of the best artworks in the city but the strain on their relationship came after their first son Baron. Baron was not planned and when postpartum struck Bubbles their relationship struggled, the art suffered, and their finances were in jeopardy. Boomer believed Bubbles would bounce back to the same old Bubbles, but no woman is the same after their first child. After the lights got shut off in their apartment for a third time, she told him she could no longer rely on commission work to sustain their family. Boomer didn't want to give up his dreams so she became an art instructor, and consequently the breadwinner. The financial dynamic drove them apart, keeping in contact for the sake of their child but the love could never truly be lost. This is exactly why Bubbles would be bringing over Baron, and his one-year-old younger brother Bishop.
Bubbles advised me against making the same mistake a third time.
The only person who was on decent terms with her counterpart was Buttercup. After Junior year divine intervention stepped in and reunited Buttercup with her secret girlfriend from High School Princess Morbucks. Butch and Buttercup were solid fuck buddies, but she always said they struggled with the romantic spark between them. It was never that deep until she graduated and ran into Princess while on her lunch break. She was at a cafe doing a live tarot reading and Buttercup was sucked in. They'd been dating for two years and she became the High Priestess of the family. It was truly enjoyable having her around our usually hyper-scientific home and how she and the professor would discuss the link between science and spirituality. She had a special power all on her own now.
As much as she enjoyed her family's company she couldn't feel like she was the one in lack when around them. She knew life wasn't all shits and giggles for them, but they all had something. Whether it be their kids, their partner, or their jobs they all had something to look forward to the next day. Blossom could hardly find a reason to get out of bed most days.
She pulled out the Lasagna just in the nick of time when the doorbell rang.
"Coming!" She yelled quickly melting her ice-mitts and racing towards the door. It was raining outside, and she didn't want her nephews waiting in the rain.
She swung the door open and to her surprise, the small family of three was completely dry. Thunder boomed through the neighborhood and Blossom couldn't help but scrunch her brow in confusion.
"How-," she began but Bubbles quickly pointed up to the bubble that encased the entire house, then to Baron holding his hands above his head waving them in circular motions.
"This one has an affinity for rain it seems," She mused. "He'll be five in a few months and it looks like his powers are kicking in around the same time we got here. I might have the professor check him out, but let us in goofy! I don't know how long he can keep it up!"
Bubbles came in with Baron in tow and Bishop in the stroller. Just as the door shut behind them, the rain struck the earth with a wet, flat, slap. The two sisters chuckled and grinned at each other before embracing.
"I missed you so much, I don't care that it's only a month every month," Bubbles mumbled into Blossom's now shoulder-length hair while doing a little rocking motion.
She loved both her sisters but Bubbles just always seemed to get her these days. They were the loners of the family. Buttercup had Princess and the Professor had his "study buddies," as he called his group of nerd guy friends. He also maintained his long-distance relationship with Miss Keane while she was teaching abroad. They weren't married yet but were waiting for her contract to be over in a few years to settle down. Bubbles and Blossom just had each other. Bubbles was on a mommy schedule and Blossom was broke, depressed, and lonely. They talked as much as they could get the chance to or whenever they had the energy.
"Anything new with you?" Bubbles asked while yanking the jacket off Baron while he fought to run to the professor's lab in the basement.
I took Bishop out of the stroller and he cooed at me instantly. I was with Bubbles through every waking moment of her pregnancy with Bishop, and though I know aunties shouldn't play favorites… Bishop was mine. Between the two Bishop was already showing to be the laidback mild-mannered type. He and I were each other's favorite person. He rarely cried and was always quick for a laugh and tickle. Just beware of those grabby baby hands. Boy's got a grip.
"Applied to more entry-level positions, still got rejected or no callbacks. Umm, I got cute for once and posted a pic of myself and did not delete it immediately after… oh, and I tried my hand at hibachi last week and it was really good, definitely the highlight of the month so far," I smiled at her that I was sure looked more like a grimace.
"Yeah the economy sucks balls right now, but ease up on all that negativity around my baby," Bubbles joked. "Princess said they can absorb that shit."
"Nuh, uh," I shook my head and tickled Bishop's armpits causing him to squeal. "He's divinely protected, his name is Bishop, duh."
"Sureee," she said extracting the baby from my arms despite my protest. "What're we having tonight?"
"I made salad, lasagna, and garlic bread. You guys can choose whatever to drink but I'll be having wine, and Buttercup is bringing tiramisu for dessert."
"Hmmm," Bubbles shut her eyes and licked her lips, "I love when Buttercup bakes. I'm still trying to convince her to make them extra special like she used to."
Bubbles carried two kids very well. Throughout high school and college, Bubbles was always a bit of the skinny lanky type, but since having her kids she curved out in all the right places. In the beginning, she struggled with the change her body went through, but after some time and Buttercup showering her with desserts in her recovery, she embraced it. Baron would poke at her little pudge and call her squishy. She used to burst into tears and now all she says is, "This body is full of love."
"I'm a retired pharmacy baker!" We heard Buttercup yell through the door. "Let us in before dessert is soaked!"
I quickly flung the door open and before she could get another word in I snatched the dessert from her hands and raced to the kitchen. The cling wrap was a little damp from the rain but did not seep through the plastic. The dish was fine.
I held it over my head for Bubbles to see while Buttercup and Princess made their way in. "It is saved!" I proclaimed.
Bubbles clutched her chest and threw her head back matching my exaggeration. We really did love Buttercup's baking. "Oh, thank fucking goodness!"
"I hate you both," Buttercup said making her way to the middle of the living room. "Now enough with the tiramisu, where the hell is my love?"
The three sisters group hug before Bubbles and Blossom shoot Princess the crazy eyes. She wasn't the touchy-feely type. Bubbles passed Bishop to Buttercup before they began to obnoxiously tiptoe towards Princess.
"Oh, hell no! I'm not dealing with you two bug-eyed bitches tonight!" She flung her arms in front of her smiling all the way.
Blossom and Bubbles sandwiched the girl between them and launched into the air spinning in circles. "Put me down! I accepted that I wasn't a PowerPuff forever ago, put me down!" She yelled wriggling and laughing.
The two gracefully plopped her onto the sofa below them just as Professor emerged from the basement with his grandson on his shoulders. "Why must you two always harass the only other normal one in the family?" He joked.
"Um, the girl talks to spirits, reads auras, and senses energies in the room," Bubbles jokes, "she's just as super-powered as the rest of us."
"I said normal not super-powered," he clarified with a smile, "Still with us Princess?" He yelled to the face-down head of curls on the couch.
She popped her head up with a smile and quickly broke into song, "I'm still alive, but I'm barely breathing."
"Spoke too soon," the professor said to no one in particular. "Okay everyone let's set up for dinner, I'm excited to see how everyone's month is going."
Blossom's least favorite part, but tonight seemed to be going well so maybe this time it might be bearable. After rounds of sharing news of Baron starting school this fall, Bubbles getting her raise despite funding cuts, and Princess's new promotion. Blossom was trying to not let her smile look too fake and not let her shitty energy seep into the atmosphere for Princess to analyze. She was rarely ever wrong, but it didn't mean Blossom was always ready to hear what she had to say.
The Professor was ready to ask about Buttercup but she quickly interrupted. "Who's ready for dessert?" She was already out of her seat cutting slices for the table.
I stood as well to gather the empty plates to keep the Professor from asking me if there was anything new as of late. Though we did live together we still didn't spend too much free time together, and he respected my boundaries when it came to news or anything that I'd like to share. Too bad that it was always nothing, and when I would bring up my frustration he would always say that I had time to figure it out. It felt like I wasting time more than anything.
I returned to my seat just as Buttercup was placing the desserts. She gave Princess an obnoxious slice of cake and Baron immediately protested.
"How come she gets such a big piece?" He pointed to her plate with a pout.
"We can switch if you want Baron," Princess offered, "I probably won't finish all of mine anyway."
"No!" Buttercup places her hand on her girlfriend's plate with a little too much excitement. "I mean… he probably won't finish all of his anyway, eat yours and if he wants more he can have the rest."
She lets go of the plate but not before giving it a 90-degree turn ever so subtly.
"Okay?" Princess gives Buttercup a quizzical look but digs her fork in any way.
Conversation picks up where it left off and Buttercup is being cryptic about the new client she acquired in her marketing/publicist job. She says she can say who the client is but can't right now, and that it's for a line that's outside of her companies and the brand's usual repertoire.
"It's new, It's very new and we're all going to be a big part of the campaign," she said excitedly.
"All of us?" Princess asked with a mouthful of tiramisu and her next bite poised at the end of her fork.
"What is that?" The words ripped from my mouth before I had the chance to process them. At the end of Princess's fork was something very silver and very shiny stuck in the cake.
Princess dropped the bite onto the plate and began to pick apart the metal from the food. We all waited on bated breath while Buttercup began to shift in her seat, nerves, and excitement present on her face.
Princess grabbed a napkin, then held up a silver band, cushion cut diamond engagement ring. Her eyes widened, and everyone's jaw at the table dropped when we realized what was happening. We all looked at Buttercup.
"You told me you preferred silver because of the way it connects to the moon, our intuition, and emotions. From the moment we came together in high school, I knew you were the one for me," she recited words I had texted her in our group chat when she was joking about proposing. My sister was dead ass serious and kept it from all of us.
"Though our connection is not expected of us, I believe that we are fated, and for that to be true, I must put myself in a position to be with you forever. I want us to be wives, partners, and counterparts. You are my other half and you make me whole. Will you, Princess Royalty Morbucks, marry me?" She finished with eyes brimming with tears.
She stole my whole damn speech and I wasn't even trying!If I had known she was serious I would've written her something better. Enough about me though.
"Yes! Yes, absolutely, yes! Of course, I will marry you, I love you… I-" Princess was trembling and gasping heavily while she let Buttercup slip the ring onto her finger.
The table erupted with cheers and Bubbles' sensitive heart couldn't stop sobbing with joy. I was happy for my sister, truly, but it still felt like another milestone I was never sure I'd be able to reach.
"Okay, okay now everyone onto my real news," Buttercup began while the table quieted down. "The wedding is already planned, sponsored, and is going to be a part of my new client's campaign!"
"Ummm, so I don't get to plan my own wedding?" Princess broke her neck with an arch of her brow at her fiancee that screamed war.
"No, babe, it's actually the wedding you and I talked about. We acquired an indie designer streetwear brand that wants to break into the bridal sector. Something fresh but sexy, Unique but elegant. I pitched our wedding, I was already going to propose but it wouldn't hurt if I got to make money off of planning our perfect day. They loved the pitch and they're all in! They want to meet with us on Monday to meet the new designer." She finished.
"I'll meet with them, but if the designer is ass we're not doing this. Let some other lesbian couple be a damn campaign prop." She huffed. "Do you know who the designer is?"
"I won't lie, I've got no clue, but they say he's really good." Buttercup said with a smile that said 'trust me.'
"Sooo, we're all involved because we're in the wedding?" Bubbles questioned.
"Ex-actly," Buttercup enunciated. "An authentic campaign, with some shots like that Y2K, VHS, home video style. Timeless shit." She finished propping her hands behind her head and crossing her legs.
"That's great sweetie," The professor chimed in rising from his seat to return to the lab. "I'm happy you're able to conquer your dreams all at once. Congrats to both of you, and Princess, I probably don't need to say this but welcome to the family!"
"Thank you!" She beamed with the glow of a bride-to-be. "I'm headed to the mudroom, I've got to call my mom!"
The weight of the night was beginning to take its toll on me and I needed an escape. "I'm going to the bathroom," I mumbled to my sisters.
I flew upstairs to the bathroom and tried my best not to slam the door behind me while I fought the panic rising in my chest. When was it going to be my turn? Where was my win? My sisters are thriving and I gave some of the best parts of myself to get them to be the people they are today. Where did sacrifice get me? Dumped, used, and useless for nothing more than keeping a clean house and a decent meal. If I were a housewife I'd be a neglected one. That's not true.
I braced my hands on the edge of the sink and reminded myself to breathe. I thought of the exercises Princess taught me. Deep breaths, and correcting negative thoughts with positive ones and affirmations. I am full of talent, I am not homeless, I have a family that loves me, and I ate some damn good tiramisu today. I fixed my posture and steeled my resolve in the mirror. My sister is engaged. Today is a happy day, so be happy.
I left the bathroom and reached the top of the stairs before I picked up on Buttercup and Bubbles whispering.
"What the fuck do you mean you know who the designer is?" Bubbles hissed at BC. "Why did you lie?"
"Because it's fucking Brick Jojo," I could hear her slap her jeans in frustration as I flung my hand over my mouth to hide my gasp.
"You mean to fucking tell me your campaign centers around the rise of his work, for your wedding, that she has to participate in," Bubbles takes in an angered breath, "her fucking ex that destroyed her and she is… she's still…"
"We don't know what they are Bubbles," BC said delicately. "And Blossom is an adult she knows what circumstances she put herself in… yeah, it sucks that it's taking her so long to dig herself out, but I can't pass up this opportunity! I feel like shit about it and I don't know how to tell her."
It's one thing to endure being perceived as a loser to outsiders. She had been doing that for about a year now. Old colleagues, classmates, friends, and even the fucking mayor. Everyone probably wondered what happened to poor Blossom and how she fell so far from grace. Her promising future was tarnished and her personality is now a shell of her old self. It was an entirely different thing to hear that from your family. To feel that kind of failure. To know that you're a disappointment in their eyes too. Blossom was truly cut to the core by Buttercup's words, but she would take them, and she wouldn't show how they affected her.
She quickly swallowed the lump in her throat and squared her shoulders preparing to return downstairs to appear as unbothered and supportive as possible.
"You already have," I said making my descent on foot instead of flying. The two jumped at being discovered by their older sister. "Don't worry I'm not mad, and you're right you can't pass this opportunity up for my sake, I'm proud of you."
The smile I offered Buttercup may have been too tight but it'll have to do. "But if you don't mind, considering you are conspiring with my ex, could you please do the dishes? I'm tired as fuck from cooking. Bubs, as per usual the guest room is ready for you and BC, if you and Princess want to stay tonight due to the rain, you know how to work the pull-out couch." I was already making my way back up the stairs before the end of my speech.
"Goodnight!" I finished with a wave at the top of the stairs then paused when I was out of sight.
"She took that better than expected," Buttercup whispered to Bubbles.
Blossom could only imagine Bubbles shaking her head. No one knew her like Bubs.
"No, she didn't, you could see it in her eyes."
Okay, so chapter one is done! I thought of giving a real story a go with a spin-off of my first fanfic "Use Me." I fell in love with how I wrote the characters in that story and wanted to give a more adult nuance to their growth. Keep an eye out for more!
-xo