Lay your eyes, look upon me for the better

Oh, I know I'm worse for weather

But my love, I won't give up

The rain became their safe haven.

The rain soaks through to their bones as thunder cracks in the distance. It echoes in their ears as he presses her against the hood of his car, enveloping her in his arms. A breathy whisper escapes her lips as his lips trail further down. They settle in the hollow of her neck, his teeth grazing the skin before biting down. She cries out, her blood mixing with the rain. She can feel his grip getting tighter, rougher as he tugs her thighs closer to him. He readjusted his stance, her hands tugging at his hair until it became undone. A chill ran down their spins as the water began to turn colder. Despite the cold nipping at their skins, heat burned through them, especially when his lips grazed her neck. There was no denying the hitch in her throat as he grazed her neck again, her hands gripping his hair even tighter. She breaks away, panting as her hands push against his chest. She shoves him back, his feet stumbling for a moment before regaining balance. Her hands tremble as the rain beats violently against the metal hood. He stares at her, his eyes calculating her every move. Her eyes close, her fingers clenching into fists as she inhales sharply. Blossom wills her muscles to relax as her nerves flare. She forces herself to look up, into his eyes as he approaches her slowly.

"Brick, wait. We need to stop for one second. We need to think. It's almost dark in December, and we're miles away from town. It's also a Monday, which means we have class in the morning, and I cannot afford to miss class again. We should start to head ba- "his lips caught hers again, silencing the end of her sentence.

He pressed one more kiss against her lips, softly, as if she would break under his touch. He could feel his heart beating erratically, as if it was to leap from his chest to scream out.

Mine. Mine. Mine.

She fully untangled from him, sliding off the hood of his car. They stared at one another, unsure if they should embrace once more or try to resolve the never-ending thoughts in their heads. She watched as he slowly reached into his pocket, pulling a cigarette from the carton. She was memorized by the flicker of flame as the rain tried to douse it out. The cigarette lit with ease as he breathed in the nicotine filled smoke. Blowing the smoke into the air, he glanced at the ever-present frown on her face.

He noticed she did a lot of frowning lately.

"You know those things will kill you, right?"

"You know I find you more annoying when you're being nosy?" The two red heads glared at one another before Brick took a step towards Blossom, holding out the cigarette. Squinting her eyes once more, she promptly grabbed the butt, crushing it in her palm. It stung briefly before crumbling to ash in her eyes.

"Now, if you would so kindly as open the doors, I would love to get out of the cold." She huffed, her fingers gripping the door handle like its her life. She heard a soft click as they unlocked, quickly slipping inside to escape the bitter cold. She could feel her teeth beginning to shake, wrapping her arms tightly around herself. She watched as he slid into the driver's seat, before reaching out to grab something in the backseat. He gently placed a sweater around her shoulders, before turning his attention towards starting the car and getting onto the road.

They don't speak on the way home.

She wasn't sure when he started to actually care.

She wasn't sure she really minded.

She leans her head against the window, her eyes drifting shut. His hand slides over hers for a moment, before hers clenches it tightly. Their fingers lace together as exhaustion overwhelms her, with the world fading to black.

Two weeks later.

They fell into habits with one another.

During school, they would ignore each other; him screaming insults at her while she blatantly snides his attitude. Whatever comfort they found with one another seemingly worked, despite if neither of them wanted to admit what exactly was going on between the two of them. She found herself walking home in the snow every day, using the time to clear her head before embracing her family. It was crazy, being out in the cold when the cold started to bother her now. Her entire life, anything remotely cold would never bother her since she had ice powers of her own. Now, she could barely function without her teeth chattering or feeling her body temperature drop with every step. Yet, despite these obstacles, she still wished to walk home. It gave her a peace of mind, trying to decide between the future and her family.

Christmas would be here soon, then midterms, and before she knew it, graduation day. Moving off to college and beginning a whole new chapter of her life; her dreams were right there for the taking. She wanted to major in biology sciences, before eventually moving on to becoming a doctor. It was ideal; finish her undergrad as quickly and efficiently as possible before going onto medical school, then residency, and finally fellowship. It was hers for the taking.

But why was the thought of moving away from her family, from her friends, eating away at her every day?

Why was the thought of moving away from him so nerve wrecking?

Blossom felt herself freeze, her hands coming up to her cheeks. Squishing them once, twice, and shaking her head, she began moving again.

It didn't matter how much Brick seemed to occupy her mind lately, she had to focus on the long-term goals. Her friends and family would understand and support wherever she chose to go. So why did a pit of anxiety develop in her stomach every time she thought about moving past where she is? Her numbness would spread like a disease; overwhelming her senses until she was stuck staring at the ceiling, spiraling out of control. She knew something was going on in her brain, but every time she tried to grasp what was happening to her, it slipped through her fingers. She couldn't control the overwhelming panic that resided in her chest in moments like these. Are the choices she's making the right ones? Would there be a downfall later on, filled with regret and misery? Should she follow down the path she wants, if it means leaving behind the rest of her family?

Should she have fallen in love with him?

Blossom stops in her track, heat rising to her cheeks. Shaking her head before walking again, she could feel the cold seeping into her bones again. She's not in love with him, she doesn't even believe in love. She knew the familiar type of love; the one that settles over you when you're with your family and friends. Romantic love wasn't even in her dictionary. She didn't want to fall in love with anyone, especially not Brick of all people. He crept under her skin, branding herself as his. But hadn't she done the same to him? He would seek her out more times than not nowadays. She always found him watching her, protecting her in one way or another. She found discovered hidden snacks in her bag and locker, knowing that it was him. Their late-night adventures became less about sex, and more about taking out her frustrations on the world. He always listened to her, but then seemed to kick her out an hour later.

Somewhere, along the way since that day on the cliff, they became comfortable with each other. But it sure as hell wasn't love. Not in her eyes.

Blossom glanced down, her fingers fiddling with one another as she bit into her cheek. Alright, so she was comfortable with him, so what? She was comfortable with a lot of people. She could be comfortable with him too. It's not like they were dating or anything. They were becoming friends, in a very slow way. She could deal with being his friend. Being friends was an easier option than anything else.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice the approaching person until she collided firmly with them. While normally, the other person would go flying due to her super strength, Blossom found herself bouncing off the man, landing harshly on her bottom.

"Owww." Before she could even process what was happening, she was back on her feet and the snow brushed from her shoulders. Brick glanced down at her, his face turning bright red.

"Watch where you're going, Pinky. What the hell are you doing out anyway? It's freezing outside and you're barely wearing a coat." Sighing lightly, Brick unwound the scarf from his neck, muttering something about thanking Boomer for making him wear the ridiculous thing. He tied it gently around her neck, the blush becoming more predominate on his cheeks. She just stared at him, her own cheeks flaring up.

"What are you doing out here, Brick? I'm only walking home from school." He looks up, scratching the back of his head before sighing again.

"It's cold out, dummy. You're barely wearing winter clothes to begin with. I dropped off my brothers to find you and make sure you don't freeze to death." He starts to walk ahead of her, shoving his hands into his pockets. A small smile appears on her face as she buries her nose into his scarf. It smells like him and does warm her right up.

"You know I have ice powers, right? I don't really get cold anymore."

"Shut up, Blossom."

He doesn't deny her when he finds her hand sliding into his.

"Your hands are freezing."

"Shut up, Brick. You're the one who said you wanted to keep me warm."

She swears she can hear their hearts beating in tandem.

Mine. Mine. Mine.

Bubbles had never been more thankful for a Christmas break. Midterms were right around the corner and submitting college applications were overwhelmingly annoying. Being able to just sit back and relax for hours on end is exactly what she needed right now. That, and figuring out exactly what was going on with her big sister. Bubbles was aware that she could be ditzy at times, and seemed to be an airhead, but she was observant. Nothing sneaked past her. She could tell the lies Blossom spoke constantly. She knew that she wasn't doing extra patrol; they barely even patrolled anymore. Crime was nonexistent now. No one seemed to want to cause trouble, which Bubbles was totally fine with. College applications and the SATs seemed to be more important right now. Between struggling grades, theatre, and a semi-secret boyfriend, Bubbles didn't have time for thugs. Not when she was witnessing her sister wither away to nothing.

Being a teenager truly sucked.

Over the past few months, she watched as Blossom's weight dropped drastically as her nervousness over everything got worst. She would disappear into the night, coming back at the break of dawn with a new bruise on her skin. Bubbles didn't know what to think of the situation. The last time she asked Blossom about what was happening, she lied to her and Buttercup. Unless she followed Blossom wherever she went, Bubbles wasn't going to get an answer. But that wasn't going to stop her from trying to help her sister out anyway she could. If it meant sneaking her some extra food or taking the pressure off her shoulders whenever she could, then Bubbles would do it. That's what being a sister was all about.

Besides, it was Christmas. Christmas was the time for family and fun. No matter what was going to occur in the next few months in regard to college, this was the time Bubbles wanted to treasure. Plus, it never hurt to have the excuse to sit in her pajamas all day and eat endless Christmas cookies while a good movie played in the background. That was the ideal Christmas time. Her and her sisters just curled up on the couch together, not a care in the world. Even villains respected the holidays. It was an unspoken rule: the entire month of December was off limits. Superheroes wouldn't bother supervillains and vise versa. It was a time of celebration; there was no need for violence or crime. Plus, if anyone stepped out of line, they found themselves facing an overly angry set of teenage superheroes.

Blossom walked through the front door, shaking off the lightly fallen snow from her shoulders. Unwrapping the red scarf from her throat, she placed it gently on the coat hanger. Bubbles tilted her head, looking at Blossom oddly.

"When did you get a red scarf? I've never seen that before." Blossom shrugged, plopping herself onto the couch. She picked up Bubbles' feet gently, placing them on her lap.

"I've recently...acquired….it of sorts." Blossom looked up, ignoring the glances Bubbles was giving her. "It just looked good, okay? And it's warm! So it's mine now, kinda. Anyway, what are we watching? It's officially Christmas break! I need cookies, cute movies, and endless warmth."

Blossom buried herself further under Bubbles' feet, grabbing the blanket off the edge of the couch. Bubbles smiled softly, wiggling her feet into Blossom's thighs. She laughs at Blossom's facial expression before stealing the blanket for herself.

"I say we watch a super cheesy Christmas movie and eat popcorn. Let's start this break off to a proper start!"

A third body hits the couch, shoving Bubbles over.

"Move it. You think you could just watch a movie without me?" Buttercup shoves a handful of popcorn in her mouth, burying her feet under her legs. She wordlessly grabs the remote, channel surfing until something captures her attention.

Yeah, Bubbles had no complaints in the world. Hearing her sisters laugh without a care filled her heart with so much joy. She couldn't picture anything better. Christmas break was truly the best.

Spend my deads cursing my soul

Wishing I could paint my scars and make me whole

But my love, I won't give up

December 25th

Christmas morning was truly magical. Running down the stairs, fighting with her siblings over waffles, and just enjoying family time were the only things Blossom wanted to wish for. Any stress or worry that was growing in her brain dissipated on Christmas morning. Her father always loved to spoil them too; endless upon endless amounts of cookies filled their senses throughout the entire day. The presents never hurt either.

Blossom received an entire limited edition set of books she wanted. Bubbles received a complete set of art supplies, including an easel, while Buttercup received a personalized snowboard designed only for her. Their father always knew how to appeal to their senses without going too overboard with it. It was perfect. Truly, utterly perfect in her mind. Christmas will always be Blossom's favorite time of year.

Despite the morning time being her favorite, nothing could ever beat those Christmas nights with her family. Snuggled under a pile of blankets and armed with an endless supply of cookies, movies played nonstop on their TV. It was everything Blossom needed after stress seemingly took over her life. The stress of midterms melted away by being with her family. She forgot how great it felt to just spend time with them. Even with the kinda budding something going on between her and Brick that she couldn't talk about, Blossom felt peace. Whatever was swarming in her head was no longer a screaming sensation. The anxiety she felt didn't go away, she knew that wasn't how those things worked. But it didn't overwhelm her senses at every turn, nor was she a blubbering mess every single night. She was coping, growing from the fear that once resided in her. She was moving past it.

She was happy.

Perched in her bedroom window with a cup of hot chocolate in her hands. Blossom breathed in those cool winter nights. Snow was falling in bunches, covering Townsville in a blanket of white. She glanced out the window before returning her gaze to the new book in her lap. Pausing from the book for another moment, Blossom opened the window slightly; just enough to fit her mug through. Snowflakes danced along the edge, a few landing softly in her mug. Who wouldn't enjoy a cup of hot chocolate with fresh snowflakes? It was a dream come true. Blossom could swear she felt her heart healing itself as she picked the book back up.

A flash of red appeared in the sky before Brick materialized in front of her. Blinking slowly, Blossom lowered her book, one eyebrow raising slowly.

"Brick, it's Christmas. I'm not in the mood to deal with you right now. Please go away." She picked up her hot chocolate, bringing the cup to her lips as she took a sip.

"Listen Pinky, I'm not here for that." If Blossom looked closely enough, she could swear a light pink tint was blooming on his cheeks. Reaching into his pocket, Brick produced a small box. "I don't understand what's happening lately, but it's….peaceful. I guess. Anyway, it's Christmas. Even enemies shouldn't fight on Christmas, so here."

Blossom stared at his outreached hand, weary of the tiny box. She picked it up gently, placing into her own palm. The velvet was soft against her skin. Opening it slowly, a shimmering B pendent stared back at her. The gold letter shined in the light, as she held it in front of her eyes.

"Brick, this is beautiful. I don't know what to say." But before she could say anymore, he was gone.

Mine. Mine. Mine.

She shut the window slowly, a streak of red fading in the nighttime sky.

I'll be your strong man, I'll be your west coast

I'll be the sun, I'll be the waves

I'll be the one you love the most

A/N: Wow.

Okay. So.

I really have no excuse. My laptop randomly died. I graduated college. I got a job. Became an adult. You could pick one really. There could be a million reasons as to why I haven't written in a long time. There isn't one to simply choose from. I can't tell you what happened. But I want to do better. I know, this is something you've heard a million times before. But I'm not giving up on this story. I want to see it till the end.

Please bear with me, just a little bit longer.

I love you all.

I also promise no more updates once a year. I'm not going to promise a new update every month, but I am trying. I am currently *still* editing the previous chapters. Like I said, laptop randomly died, and I had to buy a new one to even survive.

2019 has been a long year.

Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, and followed this story. I truly love you all.

Until next time (which I promise will not be another year. Probably a month or so.)

Disclaimer: Honestly, I'll never own the Powerpuff Girls, but shout out to the amazing creators and writers for the original show. Thanks for giving me such a big part of my childhood.