Reviews :

Firesong-Writes : You're absolutely right. Gideon has many villain-like peers in his life, currently. Only Callum has made himself obvious, but there are a few you guys are familiar with now lying in wait, unfortunately. Callum is an obvious, especially with a certain chapter around the corner where things get rather ugly. Thank you for always supporting me, friend. I appreciate you!

Burgie : Aw that's so sweet of you to say, she totally does deserve it. She's been through a lot she doesn't expand on right out the gate.

Snake557 : It's all good, no worries! And, yeahhh... They eventually have MAJOR discourse, I won't expand on it too much but yeah. You definitely have very good foresight, there.


Song Listened To :

blonde by Isaac Dunbar


*Chapter 85*

Feeling the high of the evening now come to a slow, crumbling crackle of full dread, Gideon sagged to Novus's spine and lulled his eyes closed amidst the lazy, auto-pilot loft of a glide Novus took from Sugar Rush's entrance straight to the palace. On this clear, cold night, Gideon shivered and relished in the feeling of the spiked goosebumps that plagued his body. Although he had alcohol in him, he was still sober enough to understand that he was due for a heavy conversation with his parents, a conversation he was confident the alcohol would either make entirely easier or entirely more difficult. Which one would present itself, he was unsure. With the thoughts that slowly filled his brain with synapses fired, he opened his hazy gaze and peered to the gorgeous, twinkling sprawl of Orion City off in the distance, his high perch above the world swiftly reminded him of Kepa's loving words of manifestation; believe that what you desire is already yours. Although unsure if this trick would really work, he squeezed his eyes shut and desperately assured himself that this chat with his parents was going to go as smooth as butter, as easy as a blink of his eyes. Grateful Novus's descent to the palace's lot was easy and quick, Novus trot to a halt before Gideon's front stoop and happily sagged so Gideon had an easier time dismounting his spine.

"Thanks, bud," Gideon's deep voice volleyed to Novus in a swathe of easy love that came about a lot more liberally, due to the mild buzz Gideon was experiencing.

"Tonight was so fun," Novus mumbled in concealed excitement, he bobbed a nod as Gideon did, as well, and shifted on his big, bumbling paws, "Can't wait for next Friday, yeah?"

"Yeah, I'm glad we have a solid friend group, y'know?" Gideon nodded, sagged his fingers into the pockets of his jacket and looked up to the gorgeous sky, overhead, "I really was certain my friend group would somehow include Chase, in adulthood... Weird how this circumstance turned on its head."

"Well, I think you'd much rather be friends with Kepa than Chase, y'know?" Novus muttered with a knowing, smiling side-eye, "If it weren't for your fallout with Chase, you'd have never met Kepa."

"Yeah... I'm wondering why the universe chose me for such divine intervention," Gideon's deep, raspy voice uttered a chuckle out to the cold air before them, to which Novus now furrowed his brow and tenderly began to sniffle at Gideon's chest a little.

"...Speaking of Kepa, she's marked you, big time," Novus muttered cutely, he eyed Gideon and smiled a little, "You two make-out or something? Without my knowledge?"

"What? Wait, where'd this come from?" Gideon barked a surprised laugh of genuine incredulousness, "No, we didn't make-out, we didn't do anything of the sort, what the heck?"

"Dude, you are MARKED, I've been catching whiffs of it all night and I thought it was just her, but you reek of it, too," Novus tightly rattled as he concentrated his sniffling up to Gideon's broad shoulders, near his neck, though Gideon grunted a laugh, ducked his head and swat Novus's big, powerful presence away.

"Knock it off, she hugged me earlier but that's it," Gideon choked a shy laugh, to which Novus flattened his ears and eyed Gideon in cheeky tease.

"Right, that's why she's deployed every single last byte of her pheromones all over you," Novus mumbled in soft knowing, "I'm an animal, dude. I can tell a friendly scent from a... Friendlier scent."

"Friendlier? What do you mean?" Gideon huffed with a nervous smile; having been told that Kepa's scent marking was that of trusting, that of friendly greeting, he honed his eyes to Novus and wondered now if Novus was over exaggerating information or if Kepa was concealing information.

"Nothing, it's probably something I'm just not familiar with, I've never been around a cat before," Novus dismissed; seeing that Gideon was genuinely acting as if he was confused at Novus's words, he figured dropping Kepa's little flirtatious acts was for the best, for the sanctity of their friendship.

"Me neither, I'm learning worlds of info," Gideon huffed, as if he was mentally exhausted by all of this, though in a good way.

"We headed to the lighthouse tomorrow, right?" Novus wondered; it being a day where Academy wasn't open, he shifted on his feet and patiently awaited Gideon's instruction.

"Oh yeah, I think I might sleep in a little, though," Gideon mumbled, his eyes were sunken in, he definitely showed true exhaustion, "I'll text Kepa, maybe we'll head out a little after late morning. Sound good?"

"Yeah, that works," Novus nodded and began to step away, and as both boys said their conclusory notions of sweet departure, Gideon pressed into his home and held his breath in reserved nervousness.

Although entering his home has always been a wall of easygoing warmth, this time felt tense, on his end. He inhaled a sharp, deep breath and desperately tried to quell his rushing, clumsy thoughts. Although not entirely sober, he was well aware he at least had his faculties and was confident of getting in the thick of it, delivering the bad news, and rushing out as quickly as he possibly could. Entirely grateful that he could now either text or call Kepa, lest the conversation go dreadfully south, he steadied his thoughts and pressed down the dimly lit corridor and entry way. With a budge, he came into his home's main room, all aglow with lovely house lights, the smell of a delicious dinner cooked recently still hung in the air, Ralph and Vanellope cutely bickered in the open-aired kitchen and looked to be cleaning up their messes together. Vanellope perked up upon seeing Gideon come home, Ralph had his back to the two whilst he put dishes away.

"Hey, babe," Vanellope cooed to Gideon with a loving lilt of joyous uplift; both his parents were dressed in casual clothes for the night, Vanellope's lovely, long black hair was tossed into a messy, high pony-tail.

"Hi, mom, dad," Gideon's deep voice nearly grumbled in shy concern, he sagged his thumbs into the front pockets of his dusty grey jeans, he sagged his hip to the bend of the island's counter and watched his mother's hands meticulously clean dishes in the soapy, half-full sink.

"Y'okay?" Vanellope chirped, Ralph smiled at Gideon over his shoulder; it took everything inside of them to act as nonchalant and easy going as possible.

"How was your night out?" Ralph prod warmly, Gideon bobbed a nod and allowed a happy, humble smile to sprawl his face.

"It was great, Lash took us to this really awesome Chinese food place," Gideon bobbed a nod, his heart jolted with the continuous fit of remembrance over the fact that his best friend finally had a phone. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and was eager for notifications, though his home screen was blank. He wondered just what Kepa's texting etiquette would be like. Although he was eager to rush to his room and find out, he hovered in baited nervousness and set his phone on the counter, thus broadening his gaze to his parents, "Had some good food, a few drinks, y'know. I think we're gunna make it a weekly thing, it was a lot of fun."

"Good, you deserve a night out, y'know?" Vanellope encouraged, Ralph nodded and began to put leftovers away into the fridge.

"It was you, Lash and Mara?" Ralph cautiously prod; knowing all there was to know about Gideon's situation, both parents were well aware that Gideon was none-the-wiser.

"Yeah, and... One other person, just a small group," Gideon eased, his piercing, golden eyes scanned the kitchen island in silent contemplation, searching that Vanellope side-eyed in bravery.

"You make a new friend?" Vanellope so carefully prod with a great amount of sensitive cheek, though she felt the blood leave her face the second Gideon heaved a dreaded sigh and shook his head.

"Guys, I haven't been honest with you," Gideon huffed bravely, he longingly peered into his mother's eyes and frowned, "I've stopped going to Academy. I've been bullied since Pre-A, and have issues with Callum and crew, none of it felt right so I stopped going. I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys sooner."

Ralph and Vanellope raised their eyebrows in hot, still surprise as they sharply shot their eyes tight to one another, as if to silently wonder if this was all happening, and so fast to boot. Ralph huffed a shaky little noise of kind dismissal, and though he waggled his hand, as if to express to Gideon that it was no biggie, Vanellope looked down to the sink and donned a more motherly look of forlorn caution.

"Well... I'm sorry it hadn't turned out like you wanted, dude," Ralph pressed sorrowfully as he crossed his massive arms and curiously eyed his son, "You were being bullied on Academy side?"

"I... I didn't attend day one to take any chances of it happening," Gideon mumbled sorrowfully as he twiddled his fingers, "I don't want to go to Academy. I just didn't like the routine of it, and it was just full of all the people who had previously hurt me. Maybe one day I'll go back, but for now, it's no where I want to be. I hope you guys aren't mad at me..."

"No, we're not mad at you, son, I DO wish you would've told us right from the jump," Vanellope braved, Ralph inwardly grit his teeth and knew that all it took was one tiny throw of a stone to have Gideon scampering away in full defense. Although nervous, Gideon remained and held his matured gaze tight to his mother's in a soft, glowing aura of allowing himself to be a sponge, "You know we want what's best for you... No one knows what's best for you better than yourself. Just TELL us what you need, love. We're never going to force something upon you."

"There are a lot of User-made gamers that would kill for your position, though, bud," Ralph grumbled carefully, to which Gideon bobbed a nod and sighed a trembly breath of mild regret, "Not everyone can attend Academy... I understand needing to break away and get away from people who don't treat you right, though. No one understands that better than me, my guy."

"You?" Gideon wondered gently; although an Arcade bad guy, lore that came alongside said notion, Ralph peered hard into Gideon's eyes and was suddenly rocked at just the sheer amount of chaos they had endured before Gideon was even a concept. Ralph scoffed a small laugh, shook his head, then bobbed an ironic nod and bugged his eyes.

"Hoo, yeah. Methinks you and I should have another wreck-it day, just you and I," Ralph staggered a laugh as Vanellope tossed him a knowing smile, "In my forty plus years in this Arcade, there's a world of crap we've all been through that would shock you."

"Yeah, I surely do love being the baby of the whole entire Arcade and knowing none of it," Gideon staggered in smiling sarcasm, though it was so cleverly littered with very snide, venomous undertones. Ralph and Vanellope recoiled in silence and tossed nervous gazes each other's way as Gideon sharply carried on, "I won't have legs to stand on lest I go through at least five years of Arcade trauma and world-altering adventures to save the palace, huh?"

"It's a lot to unpack, but... No one is saying anyone else's pain is greater or lesser than anything you've been through, Gideon," Vanellope cautiously side-stepped, she dried her hands and shook her head, "All I'm saying is, next time you're struggling, please reach out to us. Your feelings are valid, and if you're being bullied, or are uncomfortable, or need a change of pace doing something else with your time, you know communicating your needs to your father and I is your best bet at getting to your end goals the quickest."

"It's probably a little too late for the whole bullying thing, the whole... Finding my way thing, but I appreciate the sentiment, mom," Gideon mumbled; Vanellope nervously swallowed, there was a switch in Gideon's words, in Gideon's demeanor, that very easily mirrored exactly what Tessa was warning. Standing before this fierce, striking individual very easily felt as if both parents were standing in the presence of a villain, and it was here did Vanellope begin to inwardly panic. Gideon's sharp gaze seemingly peered into Vanellope's soul, as if he could tell that he was scary, he could sense he was causing tension, and with such, he did what he could to ease a genuine smile of disarm as he carried on, "I just wanted to... Properly apologize for not telling you guys sooner. It's been almost two weeks, and I've been spending my time in Turbotime with Lash, Mara and my new friend."

"Well, good. You're safe there, Lash has definitely come around and is a great guy. Surely he's keeping you busy?" Ralph wondered nonchalantly, though Vanellope could tell that Ralph was also inwardly panicking, the worry that Gideon was slipping out of their grasp was entirely apparent.

"Yeah, he has me run errands for the confectionary, I've been taking Novus along with me," Gideon smiled down to his phone, on the counter, before him.

"And your new friend? What are they like?" Vanellope so cautiously inquired, she was shocked to see a full smile sprawl Gideon's handsome face, his toothy, youthful smile was all Vanellope's, a near-spitting image.

"Her name's Kepa, she's pretty cool," Gideon revealed carefully, he wondered if this was a safe place to indulge, if he wanted to properly invite his parents into this very private and secluded aspect of his life, he wondered if beginning to merge both worlds was a good idea, "She lives in Turbotime. We bum on the beach sometimes, I'm having fun."

"Well, good. Do you have any plans about your future there?" Ralph braved, he shrugged and gestured his hand down the corridor that lead to their bedrooms, "I mean, it's blatantly obvious that we adore having you here, and you're obviously at home here, but are you interested in living there at all, or getting a job in the city?"

"Maybe with Lash?" Vanellope added carefully, Gideon shook his head and smiled in contentment down the corridor to their bedrooms; although palace life, and the people in it, was a place and ideal he was happy to distance from, he did have an ultimate soft spot for his home, here, on palace grounds.

"No, I... I love it here," Gideon stated in a low mumble, as if he didn't want to admit it, "I mean, I like Turbotime and all, but... I don't know, you guys built this house with me in mind. Feels like a slap to the face if I just leave."

"You're allowed to leave, bud, it's a part of growing up and making adult decisions," Ralph assured with a grumbly, kind rasp, "You're welcome to stay here as long as you want, but... When the day comes where you feel the need to spread your wings and move out, we're not gunna hold it against you."

"We brought you into this world to raise you to adulthood, so you COULD leave and cultivate your own situation, y'know?" Vanellope pushed a giggle and relaxed, glad that this was all coming out in the open.

"The second you find a special lady friend, I guarantee you're gunna want your own spot of privacy, you're not gunna want to bring her HERE, dude," Ralph muttered in hot knowing, to which Gideon felt his face heat up, he sharply looked off and choked a laugh.

"Yeah, I... Guess my mind didn't go there," Gideon chuckled, Ralph rolled his eyes and smiled.

"Better to think ahead than to be stuck when the time comes," Ralph grinned, "I mean, don't get me wrong, you're welcome to bring friends here, I just highly doubt you'd want to be bringing a lady-friend to your childhood bedroom, one door down from ours..."

"I get it," Gideon huffed with a wide, shy smile he beamed down to the counter below him.

He sharply furrowed his eyebrows and felt his heart do a weird, giddy little dance of mild realization. Novus's words suddenly shot through his head, it was here did Gideon very apprehensively pair this idea of said imaginary lady-friend with Kepa filled in the blank, and though he wondered if maybe his parents had sort of cutely filled in that gap for him, he long-blinked and now wondered if he had been pulled from blatant blindness. He held his breath, tightly glowered down the screen of his phone and felt his pupils tighten the second it illuminated from black, the one and only neon-beam of light now fervently staring him in the face, the fact that he did, indeed, have a special lady friend, and she had finally issued Gideon the first text she could. Kepa's text message, alongside its preview of said message, was so sweetly laden with her overflowing, sunny gratitude for such a fun night, everything their whole friendship had consisted of. He felt the air suddenly leave his lungs as realization continued to hit him over and over, and it was here did Gideon wonder if Kepa's scent-marking was obvious to anyone that wasn't Novus. He nervously tossed his eyes to his parents and felt his throat close with the way his mother's gaze tightened in hot suspicion.

"... Your face is so red, bud, y'good?" Vanellope erupted into cute giggling, to which Gideon stiffened and now felt as if a spotlight had beamed down on him, one that wouldn't turn off.

"I-I'm fine, sorry," Gideon heaved a shaky chuckle and shifted on his feet; Ralph cheekily tossed a knowing smile down to his feet, and though he was well aware both him and Vanellope wanted to continue teasing Gideon, Ralph eagerly diverted for the sake of Gideon's already fragile feelings, the fact that they had gotten this much information out of him was a miracle.

"Well, look, we've set up a little bit of a family getaway to Honeydew Ridge next week," Ralph grunted as he lifted his lean off of the edge of the counter his lower back was pressed to. He gingerly wrapped one arm about Vanellope's shoulders and cutely pulled her into a snuggly side hug as both parents lovingly peered into Gideon's shy eyes, "Just us, your siblings and their swap mates. You can bring Novus, if you'd like."

"Or, your friend?" Vanellope so bravely navigated; Ralph verbally dipped due to Vanellope's sheer amount of sudden forwardness, and though they both held their breath, they were relieved to see Gideon sag with a smile down to his phone.

"I-I only just met her a week or so ago, I don't really know her like that," Gideon bluffed; he knew, full well, if he had chosen to run away from home and so much as move in with Kepa, the two would likely get along swimmingly. Somehow, keeping every single person at bay and pretending the events in his life were a lot more shallow than they actually were, was the easiest thing to do. He furrowed his eyes and wondered just why he was trying to make everyone else's lives easier, why he was so diligent to fly under the radar, he crossed his arms and looked off in a rapid show of shyness as he nervously carried on, "I guess that sounds fun... Just us?"

"Yeah, with Zed, Emery and Nox," Vanellope cooed excitedly, "You've only ever been to Honeydew Ridge once, and you were just a baby, so this will be fun."

"Lots of stories we could tell around the bon fire in the back of the cabin," Ralph bugged his eyes and bobbed a nod, "Both scary and not so scary."

"I guess that sounds cool," Gideon eased with a very convincing wall of warmth, and though him and Tessa previously fought this morning, and he was teetering close to being on the outs with Oliver, he sighed and wondered if he could continue flying under the radar, if said family trip was actually a good idea to permanently get everyone off of his scent, to really prove to everyone that he was a solid-closed book and wasn't going to be due to swaying on his stance any time soon. Although wanting to fully pretend this was all a grand idea, he faltered and eyed his parents in a show of genuine, sheepish nervousness, "Would there, I don't know... Be any place for me to paint or be by myself while on the trip?"

"Be by yourself?" Ralph repeated, it was clear in his tone that he was likely mildly offended by this notion, due to the trip being a family get-together.

"Yeah, bud, we can designate a spot for you," Vanellope quickly glossed Ralph's secretive agitation, she shrugged and looked up into Ralph's eyes with a knowing stab of smiling, covered concern, "It'll be fun. Gives Tessa and Zed proper time off from working, gives those of us with game days a break, and... It'll likely be snowing, so that'll be fun."

"Yeah, I guess," Gideon eased in neutral aloofness, and though he smiled, he eyed his parents in a sneaky show of mild challenge and felt relieved he at least had a few days to mentally prepare for this land-mine of a trip, "Thank you for letting me bring Novus. I'd probably feel pretty left out if I didn't."

"Left out? Bud, c'mon, we're all adults here," Ralph grumbled, clearly now not able to reserve his feelings on the subject matter.

"Adults with swap-mates," Gideon rattled gently, he looked up and sarcastically counted, "And, if I do recall, Aunt Taffyta was telling a story about Honeydew Ridge cabin the other day, and she mentioned that it was a four bedroom four bathroom set up."

"... Yeah?" Vanellope prod in genuine confusion, though Ralph rubbed his face in annoyed, dreaded realization.

"Sooo... One room for you and dad, one room for Tessa and Zed, one room for Oliver and Emery, and one room for Koko and Nox," Gideon's voice grew in strength, his sarcastic smile broadened, his curt tone was dry and laced with a lilt that lead Ralph and Vanellope to believe that he had expected to fall through the cracks, once again, "So, what. Am I to get the living room couch? Like on nearly every vacation we've gone on? My childhood problems of being too young around adults has now morphed into the problem of being too single around couples. I mean, it's fine, just admit that even though my whole family has made feeble attempts to speak my language, this whole trip is a ploy to give me a kiss on the cheek whilst having a gun in my back so I stand up straight."

"Gideon," Ralph's voice lifted in full offense, a threat to grow in strength, Gidoen cheekily held up his hands in defense and begun to feel power course through him, the raw fact that he was now being fed from outside sources, one glowing, sunny source in particular that had him quickly feeling like a King.

"I'm not pressed, I just like watching you guys run around like maniacs trying to get me back to base camp," Gideon's sharp voice clipped the air with a very weird swathe of warm, grinning, poisonous joy, "I'm well aware Tessa likely told you two that we fought this morning. The second I branch out and skip on palace pleasantries is the second I'm a blip in the algorithm. You guys think I'm an idiot?"

"Gideon, we don't want any discourse," Vanellope's strong, motherly voice urged to Gideon in a tone of disarm. She was thrilled to see his facial expression relax in a draw of second-guessing, as if maybe he had spent too much time in his head with his stewing thoughts, as if he pondered if he was potentially overreacting. Vanellope stepped closer to Gideon and bravely gripped his hand, on the counter, all while fervently peering into his eyes with a whole swathe of concerned love, "Everyone on this lot has nothing but love for you, Gideon. We figured this family trip would benefit everyone, and you can blame me and ME alone for the misstep with the amount of rooms at Honeydew. I'll get with Tessa, adding on another room to the cabin is cake. You will have your own room, it was never our intention to-"

"Leave me out?" Gideon darkly completed, to which Vanellope squeezed her eyes shut and squeezed Gideon's hand even harder.

"Baby, yes, it is never our intention, never," Vanellope desperately urged, and it was here did Gideon finally feel his core soften for his mother. He sagged and knew that, outside of Tessa, his parents were the ones to rush to his aid, especially Vanellope in all of her visits to Gideon's lucid core. He heaved a shaky sigh through his nose and glossed his now glassy eyes between both of his parents with a sag of vulnerability, "Mistakes were made, you were in the cross fire of a lot of poorly made decisions. The palace is no stranger to children, but I don't think we've ever had such a circumstance where one child was raised nearly alone, without other children."

"Don't invite Callum to this family get together, unless you don't want me to come," Gideon firmly though quietly urged, it was clear from here, by the welling in his throat, that he had run out of defenses that kept him from getting emotional.

"It'll just be our unit," Vanellope hissed a loving whisper as she shook her head and shut her eyes tight, once more, though upon open, her equally as glassy eyes peered into Gideon's with full desperation, "No fighting, no one left behind or left out... Let's just go enjoy a nice few nights away, we'll make s'mores, tell stories, it'll be a lot of fun."

Gideon held his breath and pulled his eyes away from Vanellope's and into Ralph's. Although Ralph stood a few feet behind Vanellope and looked to be distanced, he still hovered in frozen, nervous concern. Both parents fervently peered to their youngest, all three were held in suspended, held breath of baited wariness. Both Ralph and Vanellope were too scared to say anything to cause Gideon to recoil, though it was clear that Gideon was too scared to say anything due to potentially erupting in a volcanic show of full, frustrated despair. His eyes finally gripped the counter before everyone, he glanced to his phone and realized this would mean a small amount of time away from Kepa and his sunny lighthouse. Although grateful she had a phone, he heaved a long sigh and knew that fact alone was likely the only way he'd come out of this family vacation in one piece, alongside having Novus.

"Okay," Gideon huffed in quiet defeat, he bobbed a nod and deflated, to which Ralph and Vanellope did as well.

"We leave Monday morning," Vanellope nearly whimpered as she heaved a shaky sigh and pulled her hand away from Gideon's, he bobbed a nod and looked down to his phone as he picked it up.

"I'll be ready," Gideon assured tenderly, he proverbially gave his family another chance at normality, and with a weird sense of feeling defeated, Gideon took a gentle step away and tried his hardest to seem cordial and compliant, "I'm... I'm tired, I'm going to bed."

"We love you," Ralph encouraged gently, though honestly, to which Gideon bobbed a nod and began to step to the tiled, dim corridor that harbored their bedrooms.

"I love you guys too," Gideon ushered in heartfelt, shushed, bittersweet warmth.

Deafening silence, Gideon eased down the huge, airy corridor that lead to his bedroom, and as he tapped his phone, so to wake the screen, the brightness illuminated his gain down the hallway in lovely blue. He furrowed his eyebrows with the hit of serotonin that hugged his retinas, he finally opened Kepa's text message and suddenly felt his heart squeeze with a rush of sudden knowing. Not only had Kepa messaged him, but she also sent an adorable selfie of herself, to which she had her eyes shut and a huge, adorable, snarky little grin on her face, a full reveal of her fangs with her cute, dainty whiskers at full mast. Gideon clutched his chest and sagged into his bedroom, and as his feet fumbled, he huffed a shaky breath and took note that she had aptly titled herself 'Pebbles' as her username. Gideon sagged his phone to his side, looked about his dim bedroom with a hit of nervous knowing and now warily gripped his t-shirt to bring it to his nose. With a firm few sniffling inhales onto the collar of his shirt, he took note that he could definitely smell Kepa's person on him, a homey, comforting person scent she naturally radiated, though with the way his heart suddenly squeezed to it, he snapped his jaw shut and felt light-headed with continuous realization.

Pebbles : I had a total blast tonight, like wow. I forgot what it was like to have friends! Thanks for buying me dinner, and... For this phone, of which I'm still trying to navigate. I'm getting used to it though! Lookit, I know how to activate the camera!

Gideon huffed a shaky, silent chuckle, closed his bedroom door behind him and began to do what he could to get ready for bed in the laziest way he possibly could. Knowing he'd eventually get up and shower, he yanked his clothes off, and in nothing but his boxer briefs, he flopped to his bed and began to thumb Kepa a reply, just underneath the picture she had sent him.

FauxFox : I mean, you've already got predictive text down, and now the camera! Wow, you're really on the cutting edge, here.

FauxFox : But seriously, I had a blast, too. And, you're welcome! It's great. You're great.

Gideon suddenly furrowed his eyebrows, grit his teeth and lightly began to hit his palm into his forehead. Suddenly he felt his pulse shoot through his neck, it was as if he now had absolutely no idea how to communicate to his friend. Grateful this was through text, a new form for the two to communicate, he prayed that Kepa breezed past the rather bland and blatant compliment. He heaved a shaky sigh and could see that Kepa was typing, he bugged his eyes in full irritation towards himself and wondered why he was suddenly feeling so strange about their friendship, as if it was slowly beginning to sag underneath the beaming heat of a magnifying glass left out in the sun.

Pebbles : You're great. Much fun. Am not robot.

Gideon immediately beamed the widest smile he could and did what he could to not laugh too loudly, though his room sung with the happy sound of it. He furiously began to type back to her.

FauxFox : Stop it! I'm clearly garbage at this, don't pick on me.

Pebbles : I'm gunna pick on you Gid, get used to it.

FauxFox : Twenty bucks says you've downloaded the pack of emojis that's all cats.

Gideon choked another happy laugh out to his room as Kepa eventually sent one single emoji, a frowning face of a cartoon cat. He rubbed his eyes and felt his heart flutter away, he felt as if his soul had gained wings, he was certain now that this adorable, sunny-warm individual was the only thing anchoring him to the Arcade with the aid of Lash and Mara's new friend group. Gideon sat up a little straighter to get comfortable and prepare to sit and chat here with Kepa until the sun rose, though he furrowed his eyebrows in a sharp sting of curiosity the second he got a text message from an unknown number, someone not in his circle.

Maybe?-Flint : Hi Gideon, this is Flint, your old guidance counselor. Surely you remember me. Your sister gave me your number earlier this morning. You perhaps available to meet somewhere to chat with me sometime tomorrow? Maybe in the morning?

Gideon held his breath and felt all the lovey, rose-colored butterflies leave his stomach. He raised his eyebrows in a prickle of surprise and reread Flint's message over and over, and it was here did he instantaneously feel bad for doubting that Tessa would give Flint Gideon's number, though, low and behold, fighting aside, she respected Gideon's request. Gideon sagged and now felt a swathe of guilt hit him, though he nervously began to thumb Flint a message, to which his phone daintily buzzed in the background accompanied by the multitudinous amount of cute messages Kepa sent his way.

FauxFox : Hi Flint, sure, I'm happy to meet with you. I'm free tomorrow morning, I usually hang around Vidrix City in Turbotime. Would some place in the city work for you?

Maybe?-Flint : Yeah, that'd work. Y'wanna pick a time and place and send it to me? I'll be there. I just have a few things to tell you now that I'm no longer in the confines of a student-counselor contract.

Gideon frowned and felt worry hit his skin, though it all rocketed back to the raw fact of just what Flint had gifted Gideon, all that time ago; a blank application to Game Over.

FauxFox : Really? Yeah I'd love to hear. I'll text you the coordinates, we can meet up at around tenish, I have somewhere to be before noon.

Maybe?-Flint : User-speed, thanks mate.

Gideon heaved a long sigh and sagged into his bedding, a whole wall of emotion hit him dead on, and it was only here did he start to feel the dizzying effects of the alcohol come back to haunt him. He firmly rubbed his eyes, laid on his back and allowed his bare, lightly sculpted core to deflate as he breathed out and held his breath for an extended amount of time, as if to prove to the universe that he was even too exhausted to continue breathing. With a final, shaky inhale, he got to his feet, sought out a shower and did whatever he could to stick to the idea that he could melt away into his and Kepa's lovely, fun conversations for the rest of the night, knowing damn well tomorrow morning might be a doozy.