Hey.. Still here, sorry for radio silence for awhile. Managed to write the next chapter for Break The Cycle. Also will update Prophecy this week. Thanks for your patience 🖤

Chapters - 13/? Fandom - The Powerpuff Girls Characters - Blossom, Bubbles, Buttercup, Brick, Butch, Boomer Tags - Slightly AU, aged up characters, future fic, married life, adulthood, parenthood, drama, romance Sequel to Poison & Wine - best to be familiar with this story for clarity Summary - Blossom has some demons to face, Bubbles has some demons to beat, and Buttercup has three demons to raise, thanks to Butch. PPG & RRB in their mid 30's trying to navigate adult life, marriage and parenthood - slightly AU but not really.

‘Chapter 13: Looking your best’ snippet:

Everything felt as though it was in slow motion around her. She could see Tess’ mouth moving but she couldn’t hear a single thing. Just an eerie silence, the only thing she could hear was her heart, beating rapidly. Like a pulsing bass drum in her ear. 

Patient’s name: John Utonium. Patient’s name: John Utonium. Her eyes darted from Tess’ face to the sheet of paper in her hand but no matter how many times she looked at it, it didn’t change. 

Her father was the suspected subarachnoid hemorrhage. Her father was the ‘Code blue’. Her father was in cardiac arrest. His heart had stopped beating. He was suspected to have bleeding on his brain.

Tess gripped at Blossom’s arm, her voice raising. “Blossom! Sweetie, I need you to leave the floor. We need to move - we need you out of here, please.” Her voice was stern; her expression soft.

The physical touch brought the pink puff back to earth. “I’m not going anywhere.” She told her firmly.

“Blossom, no - that’s not a good id-” Tess was cut off by the doors to their ward flying open. The Professor was wheeled in on a gurney, surrounded by a flurry of EMT’s. 

...

Just a preview of my short story, it can be found on Wattpad, Fanfiction.net or archiveofourown.com ;))

Buttercup took a deep breath in as she shifted on the cool mattress once more, pulling the thin forest green blankets over her shoulders as she desperately tried to relax. But after more than 2 and a half hours of laying in Butch's bed wide awake and realizing that his cheap alarm clock in the corner of the room read, 3:24 am, she finally gave up.

She rolled over onto her back and stared up at Butch's cracked and slightly moldy ceiling. She hated this. Fighting with her sisters, she meant and having to leave the house. At this time both Blossom, Bubbles and the Professor, who must not even know she's gone, were probably fast asleep, knowing she'll show up in the morning like she always did.

As she slowly turned her head to her right, where Butch's matted hair lay, the sounds of his deep rough snores were the only thing Buttercup could focus on and she smiled to herself. At least she had a someone to come to when she was angry; Butch. He hadn't said a word when she had shown up at nearly 12 or 11, yelling and ranting about how frustrating her sisters were for once again excluding her in important sister bonding time.

He had simply led her outside for a very late night patrol, helped her sock a couple of amateur burglars and got all her pent up angry energy out. She usually needed someone to relax her safely and Butch was so good at doing just that it was almost creepy. To be fair, he was technically made from her, her counterpart. It made sense that he would understand her in a way no one else could.

The wide-body on the right of Buttercup's smaller one suddenly stirred, his head turning to face hers. She took the opportunity to study the distinctive features that lined his face. Like his messy out of order eyebrows that were planted firmly in place above his shut eyes. Or the faint bruises that adorned his jaw, the chemical X working fast to heal them. Or his shiny lips that sat perfectly still and slightly set apart to reveal his pearly white fangs.

Buttercup huffed, admiring the sharpness of his teeth and comparing them to her dull ones. She didn't want to admit she was jealous, but she liked the idea of having sharp monster like teeth. It scared off more bad guys.

As she watched the green ruff's sleeping figure for a few more moments, she found herself scooting just a bit closer to the boy, so that their bare shoulders touched and her face lay inches away from his. The sudden urge to take his hand in hers forced itself into her mind and before she could come up for an excuse as to why her brain had come up with such a weirdly sensitive attraction, one large arm swung and wrapped itself around Buttercup's back, pulling her chest to his.

Was he awake? She thought as her emerald eyes darted up towards his still face. Just at that moment, his body let out a loud snore and she couldn't stop the grin that formed on her face. No, he wasn't.

She had never had anything wrong with hugging Butch when they were both awake so, to Buttercup, this was no different, obviously. Her arm snaked itself gently under Butch's to rest over his middle, her skin gently relaxing over the hard muscles of his side. There was nothing wrong with a little cuddling between best friends and the intense warmth that spread over her face and body were making a testimony to that.

Their legs tangled together, the green puff took a deep breath. Butch's chin rested on top of Buttercup's unruly hair and she finally closed her eyes to let sleep take her.

And it almost did.

Until she felt 4 thick fingers, 1 thumb, and a large palm slowly move from the dip of her back to the curve of her ass. Her eyes shot open as the familiar warmth enclosed her entire body, forcing her to freeze. She held her breath for a few moments, immediately checking if her best friend's forest green irises were looking down at her with his signature smirk.

But they weren't. He was still peacefully deep in slumber.

Ok Calm down Buttercup, he obviously doesn't even know he's touching you right now. Just let it go and go to sleep. You need rest to deal with Blossom and Bubbles in the morning. She thought firmly to herself and shut her eyes again, forcing herself to forget about the warm hand that lay on her bottom or the firm yet soft nature of his bare chest or the pressure of his thigh in between her-

Alright, that's enough. The green-eyed superheroine furrowed her brows, willing herself to relax but it seemed that she couldn't anymore. The feeling of Butch's hand touching her was too much of a distraction and she thought that maybe it would be best that she left like went and slept on their couch or something. But a large portion of Buttercup's brain, the part that she hated to acknowledge knew that she didn't want to leave Butch's touch, even if he had no idea what he was doing.

So she didn't move away and that same part of her brain celebrated her decision as the hand started MOVING.

Chapters - 8/? Fandom - The Powerpuff Girls Characters - Blossom, Bubbles, Buttercup, Brick, Butch, Boomer Tags - Slightly AU, aged up characters, future fic, married life, adulthood, parenthood, drama, romance Sequel to Poison & Wine - best to be familiar with this story for clarity

Summary - Blossom has some demons to face, Bubbles has some demons to beat, and Buttercup has three demons to raise, thanks to Butch. PPG & RRB in their mid 30's trying to navigate adult life, marriage and parenthood - slightly AU but not really.

‘Chapter 8: Our kids have like zero hope’ snippet:

Brick stood halfway up the staircase, breathing heavily as he stared out of the glass window in front of him.

He was furious. He was so fucking furious and he just couldn’t hold it in any longer. He let out an ear splitting roar of frustration, trembling with the ferocity of it.

Once Blossom had managed to make her legs move, which had taken a few seconds, she’d jumped up and followed Brick to see if he was okay. She’d heard his bellowing, and followed the sound, still feeling overcome with sickness from the stress of it all.

“Why, why didn’t you tell me he did that?!” Brick asked through shallow, angered breaths.

“Brick, try and calm down. I'm sorry you're upset, but he's not worth the consequences of your anger.” Blossom said, standing a few steps away from him on the staircase.

“Upset? I've just watched CCTV footage of him touching you, and intimidating you, and you? You crumbling in fear and just breaking, and I’m expected to do fuck all about it?! He thinks he can just corner you and make you do whatever he wants, and I can’t -” He couldn’t finish his sentence, his anger was so black and pure and overwhelming. “I’m gunna kill him Blossom I’m gunna fucking kill him!” He roared, turning to leave. But Blossom grabbed him, and pulled him straight into her arms.

She held him tightly, as tight as she could muster. He didn’t try to pull away but he was stiff with anger and didn’t hold her back. “We’re in this together, remember. I’m here for you just as much as you’re here for me.” Her voice was thick with emotion.

“Let me go Blossom, I’m going to do exactly what I should have done in the first place. And I don't fucking care what happens afterwards.” He said, but that fiery passion in his voice was diluted by her calming touch.

“No. You’re not. I’m here for you Brick.” She told him gently, refusing to let go of him. She could hear his heart thumping away in his chest. But eventually, it slowed a bit, as he calmed down. Seriously, the woman was like a tranquilizer to him sometimes.

“This is tough on you, too. And I’m here for you. I love you.” Blossom told him.

Just a preview of the second part to my short story, it can be found on Wattpad under the book PPG short stories, and Fanfiction.net or archiveofourown.com under its original title ;))

My art page on insta is art.e.o2

And my username on all the websites mentioned above is 3mi1y02

Enjoy!

Both are startled from the loud banging coming from Butch's room door, their eyes locked onto one another in sudden panic, "Butch! I can't find my sock again and it's very important this time! I swear.", Boomer's voice cried from behind the old wood.

"Go ask Red to help you," Butch said roughly, and Buttercup immediately believed that he was angry. Of course, he's upset, you basically just seduced him into this while he was sleeping, a devilish voice told her. Their eyes weren't meeting anymore, though she searched his face for any sign that he would bring them back.

"But he'll kill me if I try and wake him-" Buttercup winced as the youngest Jojo brother whined, Butch's panting figure slowly raised off of hers.

"I said go, fucker-!" He roared, finally glancing at Buttercup before taking a deep breath and bringing his hand up to his face. "Just...leave." He said more softly.

The voice behind the door scoffed, fading after huffing one final insult, "Fine, but don't expect any toasted bagels from me. Make your own food, lazy dipshit." He mumbled that last part but he knew Butch still heard it.

Buttercup held her breath as he fully rose up and floated towards the bathroom, shutting the door firmly behind him. This was it, she'd really fucked up now. She stared at the cracked ceiling, her breathing still at an unstable pace. The space on the bed beside her felt empty and cold as she could hear Butch taking a shower. What just happened?

She could admit that she had let her primal instincts get the better of her and she had no idea how she was ever going to forget about this night. I mean, that's what I have to do, she thought to herself. He's going to come out and tell me that we have to forget this ever happened and go on with our fucking lives but damnit how am I gonna do that when-

Buttercup sighed loudly, shimmying up on the mattress until her head touched the gray backboard. She slowly brought her hands up to hide her red face from the judging open space around her. She knew this had been a mistake, a big one but she wasn't sure if she totally regretted it. As little as she wanted to admit right now, she wanted it to happen again. And again. And probably again after that.

The way she saw it, there were 3 ways this 'situation' could unfold.

One, her worst nightmare could come true, as in Butch actually being upset with her. Really upset. Enough to dump her as his best and most trusted friend, never to speak or be seen hanging out with her ever again. Buttercup felt guilty and mournful just thinking about it. After everything they'd been through together, establishing each other as rocks and support systems for the other during difficult times, the only ones that could understand their sometimes twisted and irrational thinking, she couldn't imagine him not in her life anymore. The thought was just absurd.

Two, Butch could come in and act as nothing had happened between them, silently telling her that they had to forget about how only 5 minutes ago, they had had the intense urge to rip each other's clothes off. That they were still just best friends and Buttercup would like that outcome if she wanted to remain just best friends but she wasn't sure that she did. She didn't want to lose her Butch but she didn't want to lose the opportunity either.

Which is why outcome number three was the one Buttercup silently wished with all her heart would happen when Butch walked out of the bathroom doors. He'd tell her he wasn't upset or mad and wouldn't kick her out. Her stomach tightened at just the thought of this not being the last time she'd be able to feel Butch's warmth on her skin. Maybe next time, if there were one, he'd be awake the entire time to get the opportunity to feel more bare skin than just her thigh.

What was she thinking? Why was she so paranoid about what Butch would say or think? It's not like they had fucked...right? They hadn't gone all the way- in fact, both had unraveled completely before even getting the chance to take off any pieces of clothing, and Buttercup was ok with that. Or so she liked to tell herself. In reality, a large, unrelenting piece of her the size of Texas wished that they had in simple terms, had sex. At least then she would know how to explain what had happened between them.

Messed around?

The early morning light had begun to shine through his curtained windows and she sighed for the nth time, desperately attempting to slow her rising chest. She just hoped that he didn't hate her. She would be ok even if he said he wouldn't be down to touch her like this again but as long as he was still in her life to make crude jokes and do stupid shit with. Buttercup needed someone like that. She needed him.

What she wasn't ok with at the moment was how sweaty and dirty she felt for the first time in years. She usually wasn't a stranger to filth being an athlete and a superhero crime-fighter who fought all kinds of slimy monsters all day but this kind of sweat and filth made her feel as though she needed to get rid of it right away before anyone found out what they had done.

Groped each other??

A Preview of the first part of my short story! ;) It’s about the boys having to take care of all their superpowered children while their wives are on vacation. It can by read on Wattpad, Archiveofourown.org and fanfiction.net under the username 3mi1y02. Enjoy!

---

The green puff bounced on top of her uniformly colored suitcase, struggling to fit all of her clothes as her husband laughed, laying on the bed beside her. She glared playfully, "Don't laugh, fucker. Help me."

"Shouldn't this have been done days ago?" He questioned, lazily getting up to help push the dark-toned tops and bottoms into the case. "Plus don't you think they would fit if you, I don't know, actually folded them?"

Buttercup gave him a weird glance before muttering, "Ew, extra work." to which he gave a polite chuckle.

She pursed her lips, "And yes but we're not gonna let Leader girl know that or she'll have my head. Besides I forget things when I don't pack last minute and I would have an even bigger problem with my other sister if I forgot our matching Powerpuff swimsuits."

"Mmm, wifey in a bikini?" Butch shut his eyes dreamingly, opening them again in a manner that resembled a pleading dog. "Please make sure I can get a picture of that beautiful sight before anyone else can?"

"You wish." She chuckled, not exactly denying her husband of that pleasure herself but reminding him of her younger sister. "Bubbles will have taken enough selfies and posted them before I can say 'Wait lemme pick up my privacy first'. That girl takes blogging to a new level." Buttercup finally giving up trying to zip the suitcase up all the way before she broke it, opted to just tell Blossom that she needed a bigger suitcase.

"Shame. Just another reason why your amazing hubby should be coming with you." Butch sighed, pulling her by the waist to stand between his legs on the edge of the bed. "Y'know we'd have a lot of good old fashioned fun down there."

"The whole point of the trip is to be just with the girls, Butch." She teased, knowing full well she wouldn't mind bringing him with her to a relaxing private island. It could've been like their actual honeymoon.

"I know but you could stash me in your suitcase like a-"

"Butch, my suitcase can barely fit the few clothes I even wanna bring. What makes you think I could fit you too- Bear? Hold on a minute." The 25-year-old mother turned towards the open doorway, where their son stood frozen. His back turned away from his parents as he tried to sneak past.

The 5-year-old turned slowly, grinning wide and facing his mother, said, "Yes, momma?" in the sweetest most innocent voice he could muster.

"What do you have in your hand?" Buttercup challenged, assuming an authoritarian stance that she had learned from Blossom. Legs spread. Hands on hips. Face stern.

"Ooo, you in trouble now baby Bear." Butch snickered at his son from behind Buttercup to which she reminded herself to punch him for later.

"What? Nothing momma..." The little boy lied before seeing his mother's disbelief stricken face. "Just this knife." He pulled a small needle-pointed knife from behind him.

"What is your obsession with knives lately? Give it." He obeyed. "Now go play with regular kid things like a damn baseball or something."

"Yes momma..." He muttered, hanging his head.

"That's my boy!" Butch called after his son as the door to the room closed.

"Where'd he even get this?" Buttercup's voice rang through the wood as Bear walked down the hallway, concentrating his hands together before a small dagger formed in his hands. He smiled and ran down the steps passing his red-haired uncle and aunt in the kitchen.

===

"Bear! No playing with knives, we need them and you could break something!" Blossom hollered.

"Ok Auntie red!" He responded, not even attempting to pretend as if he would listen and Blossom sighed. She loved her little nieces and nephews, she really did, but cripes did they ever listen? It only worried her how the boys would survive with all 6 of them by themselves.

"Ugh anyway, The twin's blankets?"

"Check." Brick noted, allowing Bailey, his 3-month-old, to grab at his beard. His super strength hadn't kicked in yet so Brick didn't mind. But it was possible that he probably wouldn't ever mind.

"How about Bailey's pacifier?" She asked, attempting to pace around the kitchen island while her 4-year-old son Bernard held her leg, following her everywhere she went. "Oh Bern honey, Mommy's not going anywhere. You can go play." The little boy shook his head and his mother sighed in defeat. She couldn't imagine what he'd do when she actually did have to leave for this vacation.

"He's got it right here." Brick said holding the baby out in front of him for his wife to see the cherry tinted pacifier between his lips. She smiled as Bailey giggled seeing his mother and kissed his forehead.

"Ok...packs of diapers?" Blossom quizzed, looking over the list in her hand.

"Check."

"How many? BC told me little Butterfly still hasn't gotten a hand of potty training so you'd need extras just in case." Blossom pointed out. "I'd hate to be all the way in Bora Bora when you all run out of diapers and face an accident of some sort-"

"Which is why I had Boomer go out and get 4 more packs. Something I can get him to do again if we do run out." Brick countered, knowing how anxious and worried his wife could get and was getting.

"Great, but what about-"

"Bloss, we'll be fine I promise you. We're all adults, parents even. 3 grown adults in charge while you three are gone. you don't have anything to be worried about, seriously." Brick reasoned, admiring Bailey as he attempted to eat his old man's sausage fingers.

"Yea but with 6 kids Brick? And you know Butch and Boomer can sometimes slip into man-children every now and then. I don't want you to have to be in charge of all 8 of them!"

"Ok, You got me there, babe. Last week I walked in on Boomer laying on Bubbles like he was her second child. Didn't even know where poor Bambi was." The red-eyed ruff cackled lazily. "But still, I'm here to keep them in check. I mean I've been doing it for what? 25 years now? You know I can handle it. Don't worry."

"I know, I just..." She trailed off, pulling Bailey's curls away from his chubby face. "I don't want anything to go wrong while I'm not- I mean.." She stopped looking down at Bern, who was watching her closely with his thumb firmly in his mouth. "I mean while I'm here cause I won't be going anywhere."

Brick rolled his crimson eyes as Boomer walked into the large kitchen, opening up the fridge for an off brand soda, "Hey little buddy, why don't you go watch some tv with your cousins in the playroom? Bambi told me Frozen 2 is really good, maybe even better than the first movie." The little boy shook his head silently, holding on to Blossom's pant leg tightly.

"Aw, why not? It'll be fun besides you can't stick by your mom forever."

"Nooo, mommy nah going anywhere." Bern spoke softly but firmly as if he knew for certain his mother would actually stay by him forever. Poor boy.

"It's ok Boom, we stopped trying." Brick sighed, Bailey now taking a liking to the tattoos that lined his skin.

"Well, it's gonna be really hard for us to calm him down after you lea- OW!" He yelped and rubbed an already fading burn mark on his arm. "I mean...right. You're not leaving to go anywhere. I don't know what I was thinking."

Blossom rolled her eyes, "C'mon Bern honey let's go recount the boxes of snacks that Brielle isn't allowed to eat." She strolled out of the kitchen and towards the garage, Bern holding her hand tightly as they passed his blue-eyed Aunt.

"Why hello, Bernie." He waved bashfully. "Bloss, do you have all your bags ready? I caught Buttercup upstairs trying to finish packing."

"Of course she was but yes, they're in the car. Ready as soon as I can find a way to get away from this one." She whispered the last part at a decimal that only Bubbles could hear and she nodded.

"Ah, gotcha. Well, good luck!" She giggled, lightly floating into the kitchen area.

"Thanks, I'll need it."

===

"Hello boys, are you two ready to take on all the kids at once?" Bubbles grinned excitedly, no doubt the whole idea of this trip had been her planning.

"Of course we are suger. We're all experienced caretakers with wonderful daddy skills. I mean look at Daddy red over there with his 3rd child. He's practically a baby expert." Boomer boasted, jabbing his thumb towards Brick who was starting to pick up a not so pleasant smell from his son.

"We'll be fine, childproofed the whole house and got all the rooms basically set up. Now if you'll excuse me, this baby expert needs to change this one's diaper before it spills out onto his arm." Daddy red stood up, holding Bailey's bottom away from his canine nose as he flew upstairs.

"I just can't wait to get there, I've never been to Bora bora y' know?" The blonde sighed, setting herself onto the counter next to Boomer as she daydreamed.

"You have no idea how jealous I am of you right now angel. A relaxing island getaway sounds like so much more fun than taking care of 6 children with my brothers."

"Aw don't worry Boomie. I'm sure you all will have lots of fun. In fact, I think I'm the jealous one here."

"You? How? You'll be soaking up the sun with a tall drink and a handsome waiter named Alejandro serving your every need." He joked with a hint of jealousy in his tone towards the handsome make-believe waiter.

"But I'll be away from you. And Bambi." Bubbles added, shifting her gaze to the living room, where the TV was blasting while no one watched. "I mean she's only a year old I'm allowed to feel a little separation anxiety right? Like I feel like I always miss her even when I'm in the same area as her."

"Angel, you're allowed to feel any way you want. And I get you. I guess you're right. I'd hate to be away from not only you but Lady adorable as well. But that's the point of the whole trip, isn't it? To get away from everything?"

The blue puff nodded, thinking to herself, "Well before I do that then, I think I need one more hug or else the sadness of being away from her will be too much to bear."

"I'm sure that must be some kind of motherly bond type thing, no?"

"Probably. I just hope she isn't too upset when I'm gone. I read online that babies have no concept of time so when they see that their mother or father isn't around they don't know if they are coming back. Do you think Bambi would believe that? That I wouldn't be coming back for her? Oh Boomie, I don't want her to believe that I would ever leave her." Boomer saw that her eyes were starting to tear up and hoped that she, like Bern, wouldn't cry when the time came for the girls to leave.

"Angel- Bubbles of course not-" He tried to wrap his arms around her before she jumped down from the counter, determination glinted in her eyes. Or maybe that was the tears, Boomer couldn't tell anymore.

"Where is she?"

"Uh-what?"

"Wheres's Bambi? I need to spend as much time as possible with her and make her understand that her mother isn't going to abandon her."

"Uh um I think she's in the playroom?" Boomer muttered, realizing it had been a while since he'd actually seen his child.

Bubbles' blue eyes abruptly flickered from determination to fear. "What do you mean you think she's in the playroom?"

"I mean the last time I checked on her, she was in there chewing on one of Brielle's toys."