Pop Culture Art

Punishment?

Rico stands in the bedroom, ringing his hand behind his back and awkwardly shifting his feet. Blossom sits on the bed in front of him, arms crossed and scowling.

"So," she says, trying and failing to keep the anger out of her voice, "tell me what made you think that that was a good idea." He opens his mouth to respond but nothing comes out. He's never seen her so angry; even when he accidentally set the smoke alarm off at the hospital she wasn't this angry.

Rico swallows and tries again, staring at his feet. "I... I don't know..." he mumbles, digging his nails into his palms. He hears her inhale deeply.

"Do you realise it was wrong?"

"Yes..." His words are barely above a whisper and he bites his lip. "I-I'm s-sorry..." He raises his gaze ever so slightly but immediately drops it again when he sees the fury in her eyes. Will she send him back to the orphanage? It's possible. All the others before her had and they'd adopted him as parents. When Blossom adopted him, she did it as a sister.

He knows she's staring at him, he can feel it. And it's not a friendly look she's giving him either. She rises from the bed (he can tell from watching her feet) and approaches him slowly. He can feel a lump growing in his throat out of fear, worry and guilt. Blossom puts a hand on his shoulder, gentle but firm, and lifts his chin with the other.

They make eye contact and after a minute her gaze softens. Rico isn't sure what she sees. She was furious, should be furious, yelling at him and punishing him before returning him to Southside. Like all the others had done when he'd pushed their buttons. Instead she pulls him into a tight hug, wrapping her arms around his frame before gently pushing his head against her shoulder.

It surprises him, catching him off guard; what if it's a trick? (That had happened before; when he was younger, around four or five.) But this feels genuine, warming him up inside. Hesitantly he returns the hug, wrapping his arms around just above her waist and burying his face in her shoulder. She rests her chin on his head and begins stroking his hair in a calming way.

Blossom softly pulls away and guides him to the bed, sitting him down. Rico inhales slowly, rubbing his arm, searching her face for an explanation. "I- I don't... don't understand..." he manages, confusion filling his voice. She gives hims a small smile and sits down beside him, putting an arm around him.

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Blossom watches as the bewilderment and confusion is painted clearly on the teenager's face. She sighs, closing her eyes and shaking her head. "I must have too much sympathy..." she murmurs, more to herself than anyone else. She reopens her eyes carefully and looks down at Rico. He's faintly shaking- the tremor only barely visible but she can feel it.

She squeezes his shoulder and pulls him closer. She can hear him faintly sobbing now, a quiet sound that only just punctuates the air. "I don't... Y-You should... I d-d-don't..." He's babbling incoherently as small tears run down his cheeks, dampening his cheeks and her clothes. She presses her forehead to his and looks him in the eye.

"Shhh," she soothes, rubbing his arm reassuringly, "it's okay." He blinks, unsure, and her compassion grows. "I know it's confusing, I don't fully understand myself," she chuckles lightly at the realisation, "but you're a part of the family. Nothing's going to change that."