"I CAN'T FOCUS WITH YOU-."
"Buttercup SHOOT!"
"-SCREAMING IN MY EAR"
"JUST AIM AND SHOOT. AIM AND SHOOT."
The pair could be heard from across the carnival, bellowing at one another over a stupid carnival game; impatience and frustration seeping into every pore of Butch. He felt like ripping out his hair as he proceeded to watch the water squirt from the gun, hitting the wooden wall instead of the rubber ducks.
"I'M TRYING. I'M TRYING," Buttercup cried as she moved her water gun left to right, frantically trying to hit the rubber ducks that provoked her across the booth. She gritted her teeth as her eyes followed the moving ducks, missing almost every shot she launched. Buttercup sneered as she mentally replaced the toy's face with the awful Princess Morbucks; her knuckles turned white from stress.
It didn't help the fact that she was horrible at simple games like this.
"BUTTERCUP ITS NOT H-"
"Times up," the coordinator yawned. He looked behind him, counting the rubber ducks Buttercup had managed to hit with his pointer finger. Butch glowered down at her and Buttercup flipped him off as the coordinator turned back around.
"Here," the man handed the two each a matching duck key chain. "That's all you won. Y'all hit three ducks. Next." He waved them off and gestured to the couple behind them.
The Greens walked away from the booth, exchanging frowns and dirty looks. Buttercup never liked the bitter feeling of losing.
"You didn't have to yell at me," Buttercup asserted. She played with the chain of the pathetic prize.
"You should've let me play," Butch replied, shoving the rubber duck deep in his left pant pocket. "I could've won you that stuffed dinosaur you wanted so bad."
"Well I'm not good at stuff like that," Buttercup snapped, looking up at Butch. "Stop bitching about it. Stuffed animals are Bubble's thing."
Sunday, February 19th, 3:39 PM.
Butch had decided to bring Buttercup to the winter carnival. And since Blossom rejected him, (the feelings for her subsided but the humiliation still lingered) Butch had an extra ticket lying around. But it wasn't like they were on a date.
Butch just didn't want to waste the ticket.
"I'm hungry," Buttercup declared as she swung the duck key chain around her finger. They took a seat at a nearby bench.
"Man servant, get me something to eat."
"I'm craving hot dogs," Buttercup added.
"And are you paying pipsqueak?"
"No, you are."
Buttercup grinned, looking at Butch's back as he walked towards 'Stanley's Sausages.'
She couldn't help let out a chuckle.
It felt good to have the upper hand against Butch Jojo.
Buttercup pondered, the sound of children's laughter and liveliness filled the amusement park. She averted her eyes towards the many couples holding hand and hand with their ice cream cones and two straw sundaes. Buttercup stuffed her fingers under her thighs, her hair falling in front of her face.
Buttercup pressed her lips together, imagining herself as one of the happy passing couples. Her eye twitched, surveying the scene; the girl's boyfriend whispered something in her ear, causing her to giggle and blush.
Buttercup's heart jammed at her throat as she wondered if it would be the same if it were her and Butch in the couple's place.
Buttercup shook her head, waving away the stupid thought. Her and Butch? No way. Never in a million years.
She felt her stomach bubble. The popcorn from earlier was making her sick.
"Hello beautiful."
Buttercup jumped, her cloud of thoughts interrupted by a whisper in her ear. She shuddered as she felt their breath trickle down her neck and crawl up her spine. Buttercup sprung up to her feet, turning her attention toward the invader.
Her eyes found a lean boy with blue eyes and soft brown hair, a cocky smirk dancing on his face. He sported black converse, his purple flannel peeking from under his unzipped winter jacket. She took a step back, watching the mysterious boy stuff his hands in his pockets. Buttercup shot him a stern glare and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Excuse me?"
His smirk grew wider. Buttercup wanted to smack him upside the head.
"I'm Brandon," Buttercup flashed him a sarcastic smile. He really had the nerve.
"What's your name gorgeous?" She disregarded his extended hand, waiting for her to return the handshake. Instead, Buttercup placed her palm on Brandon's chest, pushing him away in disgust. She rolled her eyes and refrained from gagging. Judging from his first impression, he'd probably make some lewd comment about that.
"Get out of my face before I stick my foot up your ass."
"Feisty," Brandon purred. He tucked a strand of Buttercup's hair behind her ear, making her growl in response, slapping his hand away.
"I like a woman that fights back."
"Masochist," Buttercup drew in a long breath of air. The atmosphere was seriously starting to feel a bit too stuffy and she was getting uncomfortable with him invading her personal bubble. Buttercup withheld the urge to start a fight. What would Butch think if he came back to find out she had gotten herself kicked out the park?
"Causing trouble just like the good ol' days Butterbutt," he'd pinch her cheek, teasing her.
"I'm not interested," Buttercup made a face, shoving him away yet again, this time harder. Maybe he'd get the memo and leave her the fuck alone. She took a step back, putting distance between them. He wasn't worth the fight and Buttercup sure as hell refused to do anything against her own free will.
"Take a hint, you dense pencildick," Buttercup heard a deep growl from behind her.
"The lady said she wasn't interested."
Brandon broke out into cold sweat, eyes widening in surprise. Buttercup could've sworn his soul left his body.
Buttercup peered behind her, only to feel Butch's arm snake around her waist, pulling her into his body protectively. His eyes were livid, nearly boring holes into the boy standing in front of them; his other hand clutched a paper plate with two steaming hot dogs.
Buttercup felt her heart hammering against her chest, pumping adrenaline throughout her veins. A roller coaster derailed.
Her brain was the roller coaster. She had derailed.
'Do you even understand what you're doing to me, Butch Jojo?'
"Uh-" Brandon stammered, looking everywhere but at the pair of dark green eyes, his sly grin dropping from his features. It was as if he had lost all confidence in himself.
Butch's gaze harden at the boy.
"Get off her dick, you twit," Butch hissed through clenched teeth. His grip on Buttercup tightened as he felt a twinge of anger spark throughout his body.
God how he wanted to beat this guy into a bloody pulp.
"Eye my girl like a piece of meat one more time and I'll throw you against the motherfucking wall."
Buttercup opened her mouth to comment, but choked on the words that were crammed at her throat. Her mind went blank. All she could focus on was Butch's arm that wrapped snugly around her waist and his fur jacket tickling her cheek every time he spoke. From the corner of her eye, Buttercup watched as Brandon stalked off with his hands glued to his sides and visibly shaken from the encounter.
'Hah,' Butch thought. His eyebrows knit. 'Serves the pervert right.'
Much to Buttercup's dismay, Butch released his hold. She felt her stomach drop, slightly missing how close they had been just a second again. Buttercup shook her head. She turned away, refusing to let him see her face turn a deep shade of red that even Brick would be jealous of.
Buttercup hated this feeling. She hated the way he had made her feel all of a sudden.
"You know I can fight my own battles right," Buttercup stated, adding a small 'hmph' at the end.
Butch pursed his lips and spun the girl around. Startled, Buttercup stumbled backwards.
"You're red, Butterfly," he said quietly, pointing to the very evident flush, ignoring Buttercup's statement as if it were a senseless fly. As a result, Buttercup felt blood rush up to her ears and neck. Butch's eye twitched, noticing this.
"You liked that?"
Buttercup stammered, her voice cracking, "I-I uh-u- GOD-FUCK- I- NO-"
There it was again.
Her brain felt like jelly.
He raised a brow, still holding onto the hot dogs that were slowly getting cold. Butch squeezed Buttercup's wrist.
"The guy. Mister Pencildick. The way he was eyeing you up and down and making googly faces at you."
Buttercup paused. Her eyes lingering in Butch's, spacing out.
They were so pretty.
"So you did like it."
"Huh? No!" Buttercup pinched herself, slipping her wrist out of Butch's grip. A string of curse words ran through her mind. What had gotten into her?
Butch beamed, his eyes squinting into a small upside down U. Buttercup thought he looked adorable when he smiled.
And he smiled a lot.
But of course she would never tell him.
The skeletons in her closet stayed skeletons.
"He's not my type," Buttercup muttered under her breath, averting her eyes from the grin that spread across his handsome features.
'He's not you.'
She dragged the beaming boy by his arm, bringing him to a table next to the hot dog stand.
Butch wondered what exactly was Buttercup's type.
-
For the rest of the day, the Greens continued to have fun at the carnival.
At least, Buttercup did.
It began with Buttercup happily dragging Butch onto the carnival's wild rides, then ended with her pointing a finger towards the barfing boy, holding her stomach in pain from laughing too hard. He gave her a weak smile, then quickly stuck his face back into the trash can, throwing a thumbs up in the air.
It had been nine thirty when the two finally returned on campus. Buttercup's laughter rang across the quiet college square as she teased the pouty boy.
"I can't believe you fainted," Buttercup said in between giggles. "On a kids ride. You're twenty."
"Hey hey hey," Butch protested, smacking her arm as an attempt to stop her mocking.
"I didn't faint. I merely passed out."
"That's the same thing smartass."
"Yeah but when do you hear 'faint' and 'Butch' in the same sentence. I'M A GUY."
Buttercup rolled her eyes as they neared the front doors of the boys and girls dormitory.
"Sure Pukes Mcgee," Buttercup sang, flashing him a sly smile. "Whatever you say."
Butch yawned as he pushed the heavy doors open. Buttercup trailed behind him.
"Thanks for taking me Butchie boy," Buttercup felt exhausted. She groaned at the thought of her unfinished Public Relations homework due tomorrow. Buttercup couldn't wait to return to bed.
"No problem Butterboo," Butch rubbed the nape of his neck, his heart fluttering at the adorable way his best friend yawned. Butch stood as he watched her turn and leave, heading towards her side of the building.
"Butters?"
She whirled around. Buttercup smiled at the nickname. It was her favorite out of all the stupid ones he'd made up over the months.
"I-I need to tell you something."
He paused.
"I need to tell you something before you go."
Buttercup chuckled, "you're acting like you're never going to see me."
'You might not want to after I tell you.' Butch didn't know what to do.
"I-augh."
"Butch if you think I'm going to judge you-"
"Buttercup. I-"
His phone rang, echoing through the empty hall.
Shit.
Butch dug into his pockets, pulling out the wretched device. He wanted to throw it against the wall. The caller shined bright against his face.
Brick.
He pressed the green button. The last time Butch had ignored a call from his older brother, he had snitched on his mom and had his weekly allowance cut in half.
Butch wasn't going to let that happen.
"Hello? Ah- yes. Okay -okay. Brick I'm bac- Okay Jesus Christ calm your tits- alright alright," Butch hung up, returning to face Buttercup who had been patiently standing there, waiting.
She was always so patient with him.
He liked that.
"Sorry Butters," Butch rubbed his forehead. "Asshole Brick's making me-"
"Tell me."
His heart stopped and his stomach felt weird. Butch felt nauseous. Not the type of nausea he felt after riding that god awful'Monsters Cavern,' but the type that made his body jittery and his toes curl.
"I'll tell you later Butters," he spoke softly. Butch held his pinkie in the air and watched as Buttercup held up hers.
"I promise Butterfly."
"Break it and I'll break your neck in return."
He smiled to himself.
'But if I told you how I felt-
would I lose you too?'