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Growing up with mostly just him and his brothers was tough. They were misunderstood kids left to fend for themselves in a cruel world. Which is why Butch loves the little nuclear family he’s created on his own. His amazing wife and daughter were his world - he wouldn’t trade them for anything. However, he would be lying if he said he didn’t equally cherish the times when one of his kid’s auntie, uncle, or grandpa would take the little bugger off their hands for the night so mommy and daddy could have some alone time.
This time, Bloss and Brick had so graciously volunteered to keep Butterfly for the weekend of his and Buttercup’s anniversary. Well, more like Bloss graciously volunteered and Brick nodded in agreement. It was obvious his older brother wasn’t stoked about the plans but he’d never go against his much kinder wife. Although Butch suspected more and more that Brick enjoyed babysitting more than he let on.
And thus the two green love birds dropped their precious four-year-old off with her red-headed aunt and uncle and jettisoned away for a relaxing extended weekend at a resort - a much-needed vacation gifted to them by the lovely Mayor Bellum. A wonderful, uneventful vacation filled with massages - both normal ones from professionals and more sensual experiences from one another - zero crime or monsters to be handled, and no toddler constantly demanding their attention.
At least that last one lasted for the first two days. The evening of their last night at the resort was marked by a phone call from a very flustered Blossom. And to believe it interrupted Butch giving his wife one of those amazing massages!
“Ignore it,” he’d tried urging her. He kissed her neck while running his hands down her sides until he reached her hips, pulling her into his lap.
“What if it’s important?” Her protests had been half-hearted and breathless as, by then, he’d begun grinding his hips into hers.
He’d tried his best to sweeten the deal as much as possible - don’t answer the phone and see what I could do for you in exchange. But it had been her sister calling. Specifically, the one watching their child. There was no deal sweet enough on this earth to stop her from answering the phone. And that’s how they found themselves in their current situation: Butch and Buttercup on one end of the line trying to understand what Blossom was saying on the other which was difficult considering the screaming that was being done in the background.
“I guess this is the longest she’s ever been away from both of you at once and we can’t get her to calm down,” Blossom sounded utterly wrecked.
“Did you try tucking her in with her blanket?” Buttercup asked. Butterfly has taken a liking to her mother’s old comfort blanket and rarely traveled anywhere without it.
“Yes. The blanket and all of her stuffies! I tried singing, Brick has gone through every child-appropriate book in the house, we’ve tried warm milk, name it we’ve done it! You guys are our last resort. I really didn’t want to bother you with this but maybe if she heard your voices it would help?”
They agreed immediately. As great as it is to have some alone time together their daughter will forever be their number one priority.
They hear some shuffling on the other end of the line and the screaming got louder as Blossom got closer to the source. It sounded to Butch that Butterfly was in full superhuman tantrum mode. For a moment he bristled with annoyance - they should have called sooner! It definitely did not need to get this bad.
He could briefly make out Blossom explaining to Butterfly that her parents were on the phone and wanted to talk to them. The screaming quieted, eventually turning to simple whimpers as soon as Buttercup started talking.
“Butterfly? Can you hear me, green bean?”
“Mama?” Butch’s heart almost shattered at how small her voice sounded. So unlike her usually rambunctious self.
“Yeah, it’s mama. And Daddy’s here too,”
“Hi, sweetheart,” he chimes in.
“Daddy, I miss you. Are you coming back for me?”
The question stuns him into silence. Buttercup recovers remarkably fast and answers for both of them,
“Of course! We’d never leave you anywhere, Butterfly. Daddy and I will be back tomorrow to save you from Auntie Bloss and mean Uncle Brick!”
Her voice is assuring but teasing and that, combined with Brick's indignant cry in the background causes the little girl to let out a small giggle.
“I bet he’s been making you eat vegetables and won’t read you stories,” he laughs along with them.
“I read plenty of stories every night! Tell them, Butterfly,” his brother insists, playing along as well.
“He doesn't do the good voices like you, Daddy,” Butterfly says it like she’s telling on her uncle for eating the last cookie.
“Oh, I bet he doesn't. I promise we’ll read an extra story tomorrow night and I’ll do all the voices for you, baby girl.”
It’s as if his promise of tomorrow reminds her that she’s not with them tonight. Her response is quieter, tinged with the sadness of not quite being back with her parents yet.
“Mama?” She asks, “Can we make brownies tomorrow when you get home?”
“We sure can, green bean,” Buttercup’s voice is reassuring and sweet but Butch can see on her face that their daughter’s fears have affected her the same way it has him.
“Mama?” Butterfly asks, again, “Can you sing to me while I fall asleep?”
Buttercup doesn't give a yes or no. Instead, she starts singing the lullaby she’d made up for their daughter when she was born. Butch knows her deep, alto tones won’t come through as clear over the phone as in person but he knows it will soothe their girl all the same. She’d grown up hearing it almost every night, Butch knew she must have had the few, short stanzas memorized by now.
When she was done, Buttercup and Butch each offered up rounds of ‘good night’s and ‘I love you’s. They stayed on the line while Blossom tucked the girl into bed with her blanket, promising that they’d be there before dinner the next day so they could all go home together.
Blossom quietly thanked them again before hanging up with orders to try their best not to worry about Butterfly and enjoy the rest of their trip. They promised to try but all parties involved knew it would probably be futile.
In the end, they decided to turn in for the night - both emotionally exhausted from the night’s turn of events.
In the morning, they savored the last taste of alone time they would get for a while in the hotel room before making their way to a quaint restaurant in town for brunch. They decided to head home a bit earlier than originally planned.
Surprising their little girl felt great. As soon as she saw them she dropped the coloring pages she’d been doing with her aunt and ran right into their waiting arms. Butch would rank that hug in the top 10 he’d had in his lifetime.
They picked up takeout for dinner, neither adult really wanting to cook. Baking, however, was a family affair. At least until Butch was banished from the kitchen for constantly trying to eat the brownie batter.
Once the finished brownies were consumed and bedtime started, it was time for Butch to fulfill his promise. Butterfly smiled and giggled and cuddled between both of her parents while Butch used the silliest voices for the characters in the books he read - Butterfly’s favorites of course.
When all was said and done, the small girl sleeping contentedly, Butch thought that while, yes, alone time with his very gorgeous wife was amazing, being home with his very gorgeous wife
and
beautiful daughter was even better.