Hate How I Don't Hate You

The In-between chapter

After the Christmas party, the Ruffs flew home entirely dumbfounded. For the first time in seventeen years, they got Christmas presents. Someone cared enough to gift them something for the holidays for the first time in their lives,

And it was the Powerpuff girls?!

For the first time, the three brothers had completely different opinions.

Boomer was ecstatic. He always loved the idea of Christmas and was pretty sad about not getting any presents his entire childhood. Even though Him and Mojo Jojo raised Boomer to be indifferent to any displays of affection or love, he secretly liked the holidays. He dreamed of seeing a new toy or a video game wrapped under the tree. That was his first chance to experience how that felt! Besides, Bubbles was known as someone very into Christmas presents, so his gift had to be thoughtful!

Butch, on the other hand, was confused. Buttercup hated him, and he knew it. Everyone knew it. Their relationship was so bad that people avoided them in the hallways, afraid of another argument. So why would she give him something at all? And the box he got wasn't a small one. Besides, she even joked that the only Christmas gift he was getting was a slap on his face! Why would she even think of being so nice to him? That had to be a prank. It had to be.

Brick's thoughts were quite different from his brothers - mostly because he had none. As soon as he saw the red box, his mind became blank. Perhaps he was so shocked that someone would care enough to even think about him during the holidays. He grew up believing that the holidays were when stupid, boring people would be all sappy and gushy over people they love. Love. That was the word that caused the most problems.

Because hate couldn't manipulate the human mind, it never could. People wouldn't go crazy for hate. Everything great ever done was out of love.

It didn't have to be romantic love - but it had to be love. For friends, family, nation, religion: people could've done anything in its name. Fight wars and commit crimes, write poems and sonnets and dramas, grow flowers and drink poison, listen to the type of music you usually wouldn't, and joke with someone you thought you despised. No matter how big or small the gesture was, it made you do things you never thought you would.

That was, in a way, Brick's biggest problem. He didn't understand the holidays because he didn't understand love. He still didn't feel genuine affection or respect, even for Him and Mojo Jojo, his dads. When it came to his brothers- Well, he never really said it (none of them did), but they silently agreed that they loved each other. They would call it despising, but the three Ruffs knew that they cared for each other no matter what. But love towards anyone else that wasn't his family? No way. No chance.

And care and love from someone who wasn't even his friend? Someone who was his biggest enemy? The Pink Powerpuff? That was a big, red no.

So what the hell was this present?!

They returned home shortly, kicking off their shoes to hurry up and open the presents. Even though they had no decorations or a tree, their room suddenly lit up with Christmas spirit. They did appreciate the packaging, but they were too excited not to rip the wrapping paper and see what was inside. Once they got the wrapping paper off, they quickly opened the boxes.

Inside there were a couple of essentials: snacks, drinks, a blanket, and three other smaller boxes. Butch was the first to open his.

"Hey, this is lit!" He exclaimed with a smile as he opened brand-new headphones. "Mine were barely working!" Buttercup must have noticed that on the day of the game.

Boomer opened his present next, and he couldn't believe his eyes - he got hand-knitted mittens in the same color as his scarf!

"I can't believe she knitted me this!" He smiled, toying with the mittens and turning them around in disbelief.

"Yo, look! You got somethin' else, too!" Butch pointed out. Boomer was so ecstatic about the handmade gift that he failed to see a brand-new, unopened video game under them!

"No way!" He said with an enormous smile on his face. Of course, Boomer did play video games growing up - except he used to steal all of them from local shops. Unlike his brothers, he felt horrible for doing it so much that he would secretly always bring them back. This one, however, was a present. It made it a hundred times better.

Brick hesitantly opened his. There's no way she'd get him something thoughtful, no way, she didn't even know him and-

A red cap.

Perfectly crimson, clean, new cap, identical to the one he always wore, except this was new. Checking the tag inside, he noticed it was also from the same brand he always wore. The redhead Ruff gawked at the present, absolutely stunned. It was the best present he ever got.

Okay, the only present he ever got. If he had gotten hundreds of gifts before, this one would still be the best. It was thoughtful; it was full of care - Blossom had to have noticed in what horrible condition was his old one to even think of getting him a new one.

For the first time in their lives, the three evil brothers felt an emotion they never thought they would feel: regret. They felt guilty for not getting the girls anything. And when something wasn't right for the Ruff brothers? They'd always change it.