It's been a month and a half since the kidnapping. Crusher was still shaky and couldn't race, so Pickle, Darington and Zeg stayed with him and Blaze to calm him down. And they made sure that the windows are always closed, so no one breaks in anymore.

The other racers appeared a few days after the kidnapping. No word whether the police were onto them or not, but Blaze hoped they were. Pickle bet they were since AJ was fired from being a police officer AND the police were always watching every race, most likely to keep an eye on them.

News about the kidnapping gave shade to both Crusher and the racers who were 'rumored' to have kidnapped him. Some sided with the kidnappers, stating that the dark blue truck should've died in their tires while others stated that the racers were just as wrong in the whole kidnapping business.

Blaze didn't mind the news or rumors, tho. He just made sure that Crusher was safe in his tires every time he went home.

But he should have been more careful with how fast news travel across cities...

.

.

.

The familiar horns echoed through the air, causing Blaze to stiffen.

It's so ironic that his horn was so similar to the ones coming his way, yet he disliked it and wished that they weren't coming. He hadn't told them of his relationship with Crusher, not that he thought he needed to with the news spreading.

Is that they were coming here? Did THEY have something to say about his relationship? If he was gonna throw salt over them like his friends did, he wasn't going to be THAT surprised.

Just... betrayed.

"Blaze!"

"Mom! Dad! Sparkle!" Blaze hid his nervousness and smiled and waved at his family, who were zooming towards him at top speed.

"Hiya, Blaze!" Sparkle greeted with a beam.

"Hey there, kiddo!" Flame ruffled his head with a laugh. "How you doing?"

"Doing... fine," Blaze grinned. "Totally fine,"

"Good," Phoenix sighed in relief. "For a moment there, I thought the rumors of you getting blackmailed by Crusher were true,"

"...no, that isn't true," Blaze shook his head defendingly. "Crusher... would never do that,"

"Can never be too careful," Flame warned him. "That cheater's done worst things,"

"...is there any other reason why you guys are here?" Blaze gritted his teeth, forcing to keep his smile.

"We heard and saw that AJ's not your driver's anymore," Sparkle told him, glancing at the empty driver seat worriedly. "And by the look of it, it's true! What happened?!"

"We had a fight," Blaze shrugged. "I realized that he wasn't much of the 'best friend' that I was hoping he'd be,"

"Aww, Blaze, what did you two argue about?" Phoenix asked, patting his back gently.

"I... I don't know if I should tell you," Blaze sighed. "You'd side with AJ and everyone else, I know you would,"

"Come on, Blaze, you can tell us anything!" Sparkle smiled. "We won't judge!"

"That's what my so-called friends said, and they judged," Blaze deadpanned.

"But we won't," Flame assured him. "We're family, Blaze, you know that we won't judge,"

"I... I hope you won't," Blaze let out a sigh. "Alright, I'll tell you, but... I don't want you all to... freak out,"

"We won't, promise," Phoenix promised.

Blaze took a deep breath and glanced up at them. "Okay... guys, I... I'm dating someone,"

"So you and AJ had an argument because you're dating someone?" Sparkle guessed.

"Who are you dating, kiddo?" Flame asked.

"..." Blaze gulped before shutting his eyes to not see their reactions. "Crusher..."

"WHAT?!" the three shrieked.

"Aaand here comes the judgement," Blaze sighed and shook his head. "Hey, hey, let me explain-"

"So Crusher IS blackmailing you?!" Phoenix cried out. "To DATE you?!"

"Son, that is a BAD idea!" Flame told the red truck, who looked unamused.

"Of course you'd say that," Blaze rolled his eyes.

"It is, Blaze!" Sparkle agreed. "Remember the times Crusher's cheated and hurt us?! Hurt YOU?!"

"Well, at the moment, I can't even count the number of people who've hurt Crusher for just a few months," Blaze sighed and crossed his tires.

"Blaze, we're just saying that maybe it's a bad idea to date someone like Crusher," Phoenix tried to reason out. "He's... a villain. A bad guy. The same one who's tried to kill you multiple times,"

"We love you, buddy, and we'd do anything to make you happy, but you know that we're just trying to tell you what's best for you," Flame added.

"Surprisingly, I've heard the same thing from the other racers... and have ignored the same thing too," Blaze snarked with huff.

"Blaze, what's wrong with you?" Sparkle asked, worried. "I've never seen you act like this before,"

"Crusher must be influencing you!" Phoenix claimed. "See, Blaze? He's such a bad influence!"

"I just... had a pretty rough few months," Blaze sighed and shook his head. "I HAD been just trying to comfort my BOYFRIEND, who's been targetted by an assassin, kidnapped and beaten badly because of stupid rumors, after all,"

"Blaze-"

"No," Blaze turned away to leave. "Please, just... leave me alone. Your opinions were pretty predictable already, given what the others said. It would've mattered if you said yes, but... you didn't, so please, PLEASE, leave US be,"

"Blaze, wait-"

"WA-HOO!"

A voice from nearby interrupted Flame as they all turned to see a large brown truck fall into the skating pit. He lost control of his tires and drove all over the pit before being able to drive up with a pose and a cheer.

"Ta-da!"

"Gasquatch!" Blaze beamed at the sight of his friend.

"Hiya, Blaze!" Gasquatch greeted before turning to the group with him. "Oh, and hello to... uh..."

"This is my family," Blaze bluntly replied.

"Oh! Did they...?"

"No, they didn't," Blaze sighed. "That's why I need some better company at the moment,"

"Oh," Gasquatch frowned and patted his back comfortingly. "I'm so sorry, Blaze,"

"It's alright," Blaze shrugged it off. "So what are you doing here, Gasquatch?"

"Well, I heard that Crusher's still shaky from the kidnapping thing, so I brought some... ICE CREAM!" Gasquatch brought out a freezer full of ice cream boxes. "You want some too? You look like you need a bowl or two,"

"I do," Blaze smiled and nodded as he led his friend out of the park. "I really do,"

"Blaze, wait!" Phoenix called out to him. "Blaze, please, we can talk this out!"

But Blaze ignored her and any of their calls as he kept on going, zooming faster and faster to avoid being followed by his family.

He already had to face his best friends' betrayal.

He couldn't handle another.

Especially from his own family.

X

"Blaze! Gasquatch! You're here!" Darington greeted as he opened the door. "Ooh! And you brought ice cream!"

"Hey, Darington," Blaze greeted at a monotone as he came in.

"Yep!" Gasquatch beamed. "Who wants ice cream?!"

"Yay!" Pickle cheered, as did Zeg and Darington.

"I'll get two bowls, Gasquatch," Blaze said.

"Ah, for you and Crusher?" Gasquatch guessed as he handed two bowls to the red truck. "Here you go!"

"Thanks," Blaze gave a grateful smile before turning to leave.

He headed to Crusher's room, knocking on the door three times before opening it. He found Crusher cuddled up in his blanket, fast asleep. The sight made him chuckle before he entered and shut the door behind him.

"Crushy~"

"B...?" Crusher yawned as he woke up, stretching his tires. "You're back so soon. How was the race...?"

"Won again, but even that doesn't make my day better," Blaze sighed and held out one of the bowls. "Ice cream?"

"Ooh, thanks, B," Crusher licked his lips as he took the bowl. "From Gasquatch? Pickle said that he was coming over,"

"Yep," Blaze nodded and sat beside the other with a sigh.