2-2-11

1:42am

Summary–Bubbles thinks Boomer and her already have the perfect relationship (friends...with benefits) but they just need a few subtle (or not so subtle) hints to show what they're missing. Bubbles/Boomer, with some Blossom/Brick and Buttercup/Butch

Disclaimer–I do not own The Powerpuff Girls, which belongs to its respective owner(s) and is only being used in a fan-made, fictional story.

xoxo

Title–Subtle

Part 7–Ripe to Reap

By–Moon Prynces

xoxo

"Holy crap," she whispered as her eyes shot open.

No movement was made but she did realize the side of her face and her front half were planted firmly on sheets, and there was something just barely covering her (stupid) ass.

"Oh crap," her voice whispered, even lower than before. She made a wincing expression and noticed her hand brushing against skin that was definitely not hers.

Bubbles started to unconsciously breathe quicker, a reaction she hoped would disappear soon.

Then there was the matter of a finger suddenly tracing a line from her naked shoulder, down her naked back, stopping just at the sheet covering her (stupid) ass.

The hand removed itself.

And then was abruptly brought down to smack her butt!

The girl lifted her head and whirled it around to glare with her mouth slightly open in angry surprise.

"Good to know you're awake," Boomer commented with a smirk as he leaned casually against the headboard.

"Are you really?" she asked back with narrowed eyes. "Because if I were you, I'd be worrying about my well-being right about now."

"Bubbles," he said in such a cocky voice that she rolled her eyes. "No need to worry about my health; I am totally up for another round."

She threw him a disgusted face and pointedly ignored his lower half to see if this was true. Then she smiled suddenly and rested her head on the bed again, this time facing him.

"What?" Boomer questioned suspiciously.

"It's just nice to hear you being such a...well, not a pushover, anymore." She smirked at him this time.

He looked a bit peeved for a moment before letting it go. "Yeah, but still...I'm not as aggressive as some people. I wasn't the one popping out from bushes and janitor closets."

Her mouth fell open again and brows came together. Denial was kind of stupid because...well, look at where they were. She definitely worked fast (when she knew what she wanted, anyway).

"Idiot," was her only response while pushing down the smile and feeling in her chest.

There was some silence as neither knew exactly what to say.

Were they a couple now?

"Oh crap," she said again, this time louder, and sat up quickly. "I'm sixteen! I shouldn't be having sex all over the place!"

"Well technically, it was only on my bed. But then it's not like we haven't been making out all over the place and–"

Bubbles reached out to slap him but he ducked. "Oh god," she shuddered. "You know what Blossom's gonna say when she finds out about this happening again?"

"What?" Boomer questioned back carefully.

"She'll ask if– if– if we used protection! Again!"

He watched blankly as she winced while some scene played in her mind. "Well...we did."

Bubbles turned to him abruptly. "We did?" she asked, eyes lighting up. And then there was a heavy sigh. "Good. I thought I might've imagined that part."

"Yeah, well as much as you don't want to be a baby mama, I don't want a kid either," Boomer told her with raised brows. "Besides, I don't know where you've been!"

Her mouth opened for the nth time, aghast. "Little jerk." She reached over to smack him again, and even though the first attempt missed, the next landed a hit on his shoulder and then the side of his head.

And soon they were tumbling through the sheets in a completely different manner than before.

"Psh," her voice made the odd sound as she wrestled and straddled his waist successfully. Her tiny hands held his quite securely, almost snapping some bones. "You're right. I'm a Powerpuff Girl."

Boomer frowned, trying to hide the obvious struggle to get out of her grasp.

"Hey Boomer! What are we gonna eat today?"

It was in some bizarre slow motion that Bubbles turned her head to look over her shoulder at the open doorway, just as Brick walked over after having entered the house. (Damn them for not having a two-story residence.)

Holy crap, she thought again.

"I was thinking since I'm the oldest we–" Brick finally glanced up from looking down at some take-out menus.

And that was when the redhead realized that his girlfriend's sister was naked in his brother's bed. Bubbles – though Brick could only see her back and the sheet still covering her (stupid) ass – threw herself forward onto her– not-quite boyfriend's, well, Boomer's chest to hide her anatomy and cover her painfully shamed face at being caught in such a position.

A beat passed as Boomer's surprised face glanced down at the girl and Brick's blank expression turned completely shell-shocked.

xoxo

"So what are you doing later?" he asked, leaning back against the lockers near hers.

"Working. Seven to ten," she answered without looking at him.

"Oh," he paused in thought.

Neither said anything after that as Buttercup finally found her math homework and Butch waited patiently for her.

"You're not...gonna offer to come by?" she finally questioned suspiciously as they began walking to class.

He glanced at her in honest confusion. "Why would I?"

Why wouldn't he? It would be such a Butch thing to pull. Because she–

"You babysit two ten year olds," he stated the obvious.

"Yeah...and there's no supervision so I thought you'd be all..." Buttercup paused in her slowly worded argument.

Butch shrugged carelessly as his girlfriend stared at him, apparently disagreeing with her thoughts.

See, this was strange. It seemed like such an isolated incident, too – where he wasn't dropping perverted hints or suggesting a completely inconvenient or inappropriate rendezvous.

"Besides, what are their parents gonna say if they come home early and see you've got a guy hanging around their kids?" he spoke up suddenly, not even glancing at her this time.

And this time, Buttercup let her mouth fall open in surprise.

That was so– so– so considerate! And mature! And so totally unlike him.

Wait, where had her train of thought been again? Oh yeah, it seemed like this was just one time where he wasn't behaving like...himself – judging from her reaction. But truthfully, it was scattered. Every now and then he didn't do exactly what she expected.

Maybe he'd grown a little, now knew when to be serious and cautious. He still grinned irritatingly and she still rolled her eyes when he quirked a brow in suggestion. He was still himself. Just different, for the better.

Buttercup ceased her staring after bumping shoulders with someone.

It didn't matter if she'd witnessed such a miniscule transformation once or dozen times, it still left her in awe. And it kind of...got her blood pumping.

Fortunately, and yet unfortunately, he did not know any of this. It was kind of nice that he only behaved so easily mellow and sophisticated every so often, because it made her appreciate it, and him. All aspects of him (like when he was kissing her neck just to make her smile).

The dark-haired girl lost herself in her mental perception of how damned attractive he was, not physically, but personality-wise. Such a long way from being a ladies' man or whining about her inattentiveness. Confident enough in her, and himself, that he didn't need to be with her or speak with her every hour of the day.

Subtle was his growth, and so subtle were her growing feelings.

Then he leaned to her ear, jokingly whispered something about an empty classroom and she grabbed the collar of his shirt to pull him off in that direction before he could comprehend what she was actually doing.

"Hey– W-we have class!" he said, fearing she was about to maul him.

Which was kind of true.

xoxo

"Don't talk to me."

"What made you think I would?"

"Why else would you be on my side of the hallway, near my locker?"

"To find out what your sisters said and if I should be expecting death threats."

Bubbles turned to him with a flat gaze, her lips pursed. "No one said anything."

"Ah," Boomer said while rolling on the balls on his feet, hands behind his back nonchalantly.

"I'm not sure if that's a good thing, though."

"I guess we'll find out now. It's lunchtime."

"Yeah..." Bubbles said slowly. "I was thinking I'd go eat in peace. You know, behind a bush or in a janitor's closet," she rolled her eyes.

It was quiet as they sat down at the table, across from each other. Not eerily quiet, just the normal, gosh-I'm-tired-of-school quiet.

Except Brick looked strangely calm and contemplative, not glancing up from his chosen spot on the table. Blossom, Buttercup and Butch were arguing over the answers to a test they had just taken and no one noticed when Bubbles mumbled to Boomer, "But now they're gonna think they were right!"

Maybe he hadn't told anyone, the blondes were thinking as things continued on, normally.

But then her sisters looked at her and Blossom asked, "Bubbles, you okay?"

This is a trap, Bubbles thought, glancing at Boomer with wide eyes.

"What? Do you need an inhaler?" he mocked with raised brows.

She would have responded with a harsh comment but she could feel her insides liquefying at the look he gave her. When was she going to get used to these things?

Instead, she kicked him under the table and looked to her sisters with the same affronted expression. "Perfectly fine."

Butch was biting his lip to not laugh at his younger brother.

At the end of the uneventful lunch period Bubbles subtly lifted a finger to her lips after catching Brick's eyes. Sure, she looked like some vixen trying to keep an affair quiet, but he just shrugged and didn't say anything. She was surprised they could make eye contact at all after what happened. How did they get to be so mature?

xoxo

He wasn't worrying, per se. It's just that he felt the need to look out for each of them in their little group. Maybe it was just the big brother complex showing or something.

Blossom would probably roll her eyes and say something about it not being necessary that he look out for her sisters. Which might be why he would never bring up these feelings. She didn't really need to know.

Brick coasted down the hall toward the exit without really thinking. He would probably meet them outside under that same out-of-the-way tree.

It was with surprise that he spotted the redhead, her back to him. She was usually the last to join them, always chatting with a faculty member or making plans with whatever club or extra curricular.

"Hey Bloss–" He'd barely finished the greeting when the girl spun around and crashed into him in some feral hug that caught him off guard.

Brick looked around in alarm.

They were in public. People would stare. She'd get teased about it come tomorrow from their peers.

He stood there stupidly, arms lifted as if about to envelope her in the same embrace but paused, unsure if that was the right thing to do.

Blossom didn't do PDA. They didn't hug or sling an arm around the other randomly. They didn't exchange quick kisses as greetings or goodbyes. They'd only held hands like twice!

And he didn't have a problem with it. All the verbal communication (in public) was enough. Teasing and joking and just looking was more than enough. Because he was already falling into that hole, that downward spiral, that trap... Not that he was displeased with the feelings as they grew stronger.

In the privacy of her room, or his, she didn't hold back, even if she was truly inexperienced with a relationship and all that came with it.

Okay, right. The point was he wasn't sure if he should be hugging her back or not. And it wasn't some stupidly cutesy hug with her arms around his neck, standing on her toes and all that. No. Her arms were locked tightly around his chest where it was easiest for her without struggling and the side of her face was flat against his shirt and he probably shouldn't be thinking about this too much because his heart was beating quicker and he didn't want his skin to match his hair color.

The boy tried to take a deep breath, though a little difficult with her constricting the expansion of his lungs, and settled for asking, "Are you okay?" And though he meant for this to come out clear and assured, he breathed out the words shakily on his exhale, not feeling quite so okay himself.

"April's boyfriend died," was all she said.

And it hit him like she had slapped him hard across the face.

He opened his mouth to say something.

"I didn't even know she was seeing someone," she said quietly, almost a whisper.

Well now he didn't know what to say. Because she had stolen his response.

Blossom turned her face and dug her forehead and nose into his shirt with a great intake of breath. "I don't want to be the type to appreciate you when you're gone. I don't want you to leave." And she sounded so much like a kid with that last statement, that admission.

Brick smiled sadly at her news and let his arms encircle her.

"I don't wanna go anywhere either," he said succinctly.

"Good," she said childishly, her arms tightening just a bit.

Neither cared that a few people had passed by their out-of-the-way tree and teasingly shouted 'aww's and commented on how cute they looked.

He put a hand on the back of her head, fingers disappearing beneath layers of hair. He kind of wanted to kiss her, but didn't try to push it.

Everyone knew her as this perfectly capable, responsible, grown-up person. She seemed so adult that most people didn't realize she was still a kid, still learning just like them.

Brick knew.

And apparently she had just learned something, he realized.

Which was why he kissed the side of her head, waited for her to finally pull back just a little and then attached his mouth to hers.

And Blossom didn't care who saw or that she would get teased come tomorrow and was glad that he had. Why should she care about everyone else and keeping up appearances? Didn't exactly make her happy. Not like this did.

Holding hands, or even just him smiling at her, magnified her feelings each time it happened. Probably why she had tried to keep their interaction to a minimum, being a bit scared of what the feelings would do once they consumed her.

It wasn't that bad, she now noticed. It was warm and comfortable and something else...

Subtle were the looks they shared at school, but no more of that, Blossom decided. She wanted to let him know how she felt whenever she felt it. And she wanted him to be able to do the same.

He attempted to pull away and end the kiss but she followed, her hands now on the sides of his head.

xoxo

"It wasn't that bad," he commented from where he sat on a bench, arms splayed out across the top.

In front of him stood Bubbles, feeling too restless to stay still.

"That's because Brick managed to keep his mouth shut, for once." She rolled her eyes, and as an afterthought added, "Your brothers sure are somethin'."

There was a pause as she stared with furrowed brows at a random point on the bench, thinking over the past few days.

"Does this mean we're going out now?" Boomer questioned with a slight whine.

She answered distractedly with something that caused him to look as if he'd been struck by lightning. "You never actually asked me out." Then she gasped in surprise, looking both shocked and amused.

"You like to keep beating up my ego, don't you?" he scowled.

Even while making such a displeased expression she couldn't stop that ridiculous starstruck reaction from sweeping over her.

Okay, so she'd eventually (hopefully) get used to the feelings as they came and attacked her blindly... But trying to let their (still) undefined relationship seep out from behind closed doors was a whole 'nother issue.

She was a little too familiar with secret smiles and being together when there was literally no one to witness them. Switching gears was like...well, it was just hard!

Bubbles let herself stare at him blankly, and he didn't seem to notice or care.

And then, without letting herself think too much, she reached down and kissed him quick, missing half his mouth in her haste and slight embarrassment.

"I gotta go. I'll talk to you later." And then she took to the sky while Boomer stared blankly after her.

He glanced around in mild confusion after losing sight of her.

After a moment he smiled to himself at her bold move. He could see and hear people behind him and across the street.

Then again, she had always been pretty bold.

He was so eager to just move on to a new stage of...life. Whether that meant a relationship with her or just plain ending things, he hadn't been so sure before but now...

The blonde boy almost blushed, leaning forward in his seat, elbows on his knees.

Damn, he liked her way too much, he thought while dragging a hand through his hair.

Just how long would this take anyway? This transition from the old to the new? Boomer wasn't as patient as he seemed.

And judging from her thoughtless words, the ball was in his court, so to speak.

"Finally," he said and stood up, ready to head home.

xoxo

"I've never known her to keep secrets," Blossom argued.

"Yeah, because they're secret," Buttercup said with a roll of her eyes.

Butch didn't respond as he was too busy whispering something (devious) into his girlfriend's ear, which she ignored completely with a hidden grin. Brick was the only one who hadn't really said much as they sat around the Utonium living room, wondering where the last two members of their group were.

"They'll probably come around when they're ready to admit something," Brick decided while reaching for the TV remote.

The front door slammed open and Bubbles looked like a trapped animal, her eyes wide as all faces turned to her.

After another minute of the staring she threw her hands in the air like some typical teenager and said, "It's none of your business!" And then she stalked off to the kitchen.

A moment later someone casually walked in and went to the fridge while she rummaged through a cabinet.

"You know," he started, and she recognized the voice. "I can't exactly condone what you guys were doing. I mean, it's our house too and..."

Bubbles sighed as she stood up and looked to him. "I'm sorry. I don't want you to have the burden of keeping a secret for me. I'll tell them soon. Don't worry."

"Sooner, the better," Brick offered with a sheepish smile.

She rolled her eyes as they both walked back into the living room. She waited until right after he sat down to clap her hands and order, "Alright, boys out."

Brick shot her a glare at her timing. She looked at him triumphantly as he and Butch were ushered out by their counterparts.

xoxo

"So what exactly did you tell them?" he asked cautiously.

"Don't worry. Not everything. I'm entitled to my own life." She glanced around her room. "We just talked about...you. And some other stuff."

"Again?" Blossom had questioned incredulously.

Buttercup cocked her head with mild interest.

There was a pause before...

"What's it like?" the redhead asked curiously, with a bashful smile she tried to suppress.

The blonde's eyes popped out of her skull.

"And no one's looking to rip my head off?" he asked again, sounding surprised.

"Of course not. You're not a...complete troublemaker. I mean, when was the last time you committed a crime, anyway?"

"Yesterday."

Bubbles choked on her gasp.

"Yup. Had a beer with pizza."

Her mouth twisted into something between a pout and glare. "Oh. Underage drinking. I thought you meant, like, a real crime."

He ignored the jab. "What else happened?"

"Um..."

"How long have you been dating exactly?" Buttercup interrupted.

"We're not. He's just my boytoy," she grinned jokingly, gearing up to continue with a real explanation of their currently complicated relationship. Though maybe she'd still leave out the last two years...

"Oh, is that what they're calling it?" a new voice asked, emerging through the nearest doorway.

All eyes widened as the Professor stood there with a quirked brow, holding a plate and fork.

"And no one said something like, I knew it! or Saw this coming?"

"No..." she admitted reluctantly. "But I'm sure they were thinking it!"

Blossom frowned at her dark-haired sister as their third left to get some water. "What do you think?" she whispered, leaning closer.

"I so can't wait to try that," Buttercup said dazedly.

"Me too," the redhead agreed with a sigh. "How'd they get to be so mature?"

The two were quiet suddenly, each thinking, with the phone line and miles between them.

"You know," she half-whispered. "I've been coming up with this pros and cons list in my head about whether we should be dating."

He looked up at his wall with raised brows.

"But the thing is...either way, I still can't...do anything about those– those feelings," she wrinkled her nose. "I mean, I think that even if we didn't I would still be all weird around you."

She stopped, feeling self-conscious. Admitting these things put her in such a vulnerable spot, something like she'd never actually felt before.

But this was her best friend. They'd known each other since they were five years old and trying to kill each other.

Things had changed. They had changed.

"What makes you think I haven't been having heart attacks whenever you're around?" he questioned.

And she paused before speaking again, her mouth parted in complete surprise.

She could just imagine him with a tilted smile, both mocking and serious, trying to level the playing field a bit without making her roll her eyes at obvious clichés.

It was the Boomer she remembered.

Him 'giving her room' to 'figure things out' was kind of creepy. He was never that much a wimp to her when they were involved. He was never so...subtle. She almost wished he had revealed his emerging feelings in a more brazen and thoughtless fashion.

Now, over the course of a day or two, he was back to being cocky and playful, and she was kind of...almost...crying.

Well, that was awkward. Funny how she could still get all emotional over children's movies and sappy moments but was secretly a devious and manipulative girl. Surely only the hard-hearted and stoic could pull off two years of physical gratification with their best friend while not developing any feelings until now.

They were so similar, huh? Not just the blonde hair, blue eyes and innocent façade that everyone assumed to be their true nature. But also the smirks and teasing and not-so-innocent kisses that lead to more mature stuff.

"Are you okay?" he asked suddenly, sounding alarmed.

"Things were so much easier when we were just making out," she finally said, stifling a sigh.

"'Just making out'?"

"Ugh. I'm going to sleep." Before she hung up, "And no, that was not an invitation."

xoxo

It was at the beginning of school, with everyone still going through their lockers or making small talk with their friends, that it happened.

She was just sighing heavily at how long the days seemed and how heavy her books felt when he came up and asked her.

"Can you do me a really big favor?" Boomer questioned pleadingly.

Bubbles eyed him tiredly out of the corner of her eyes while rearranging something in her locker. "What is it?"

"It's not that big of a deal," he shrugged.

"If you want to copy homework, I've gotta tell you...I don't think I did it right myself." She waited and then realized he wasn't responding, just looking at her expectantly. "Yeah? What is it?" she asked, not quite realizing he was pinning her to the lockers in a completely crowded hallway.

"Go out with me?" he whispered into her ear, standing behind her.

Bubbles smiled at her textbooks and calculator before turning around. She twisted a finger around her pigtail purposely and said, "Sure. I mean, I guess so." And then blew a stray strand of hair out of her face indifferently.

Sure, he was half-grinning at her performance, but then she said something that floored him.

"Since I...kind of like you," she leaned in to mock-whisper, but looking quite solemn and certain, her eyes trained on his.

She managed to admit it without using any hateful words! And for some reason, Boomer felt his face burn.

"Are you okay?" Bubbles questioned quickly with a strange look.

He may have admitted it over the phone just last night, but seeing it made her breathe easier, and with a helplessly happy smile.

She should have realized, in fact everyone should – that things are difficult, weird, uncomfortable, awkward, different...for everyone. She wasn't the only one going through changes. You're not alone. You aren't the only one. It's just hard to really take notice of what's going on outside your own head, or inside someone else's.

Though, let's be honest, there are some subtle clues.

xo end xo

10-4-11

1:46am

If you knew how many times I reread and edited and took things out and wrote things in to reach this end product...you just wouldn't believe it. Sometimes writing comes easily, and sometimes it's a struggle.

This last chapter is because of someone who, unfortunately, always signs her/his reviews simply as Dreams. You should thank that person. I didn't want to disappoint her/him. I didn't want to disappoint myself either.

The ending is still a little bland to me... Sorry. Thanks for the support and stuff.

10-5-11

12:15am

EDIT after update:

I think there's been some confusion here. This is the end of the story. There won't be any more. It says "end" a few lines right up there. I'm sorry if you're disappointed but this isn't going to be continued into something longer and drawn out.

10-10-11

1:11am