Reviews :

chuckiboo : Yeah, I get frustrated with Gideon, because Kepa would definitely welcome it all with open arms - but her risk sticking up for Gideon, like she wants, might make matters... Well, interesting, to say the least.

Snake557 : Thank you for remembering that Gideon's struggles are portrayed as mine. I really do appreciate that. There are a few differences in the story, obviously, but for the most part, his struggles are mine. Thank you, friend, I hope you're enjoying it so far. And yes, Kepa is a very good being to have in his corner.


Song Listened To :

Violence by Grimes & i_o


*Chapter 119*

Feeling the sting of the sunburn on his shoulders, Gideon grimaced and gently rubbed his upper right arm. Grateful his wound was healing and he was now able to leave it un-bandaged, he still was careful not to rub it too tight to his body. Sugar Rush's nighttime had now become cold with the promise of either frost or snow on the way, shortly. Gideon rubbed his nose, so to warm it up, and felt the mental whiplash of coming and going from two mildly different climates. Having walked Novus all the way through the tunnel that connected the flyer's enclosure to the palace lot, he exited out into the dregs of loose trees on the opposite side of his parent's house, on the same wall as all of his art and murals, about two hundred feet off. Cloudless skies, the promise of well-deserved alone time, Gideon rubbed his hands together in mild excitement over the fact that he could escape to his big bedroom and fall into cozy, comfortable lucid states he had been avoiding for the past week due to the vacation he was on. As he passed the gape of the dimly illuminated outdoor corridor, so to press into the grass, he furrowed his brow as something to his left caught his attention.

Nearby, one of the far spires, opposite Tessa's and Zed's home, clear on the other side of the palace lot, the way to get up to the outer wall's higher levels, as well as access to said empty home of a spire, was a high-arched, stone stairwell that led into what usually was just blackness, though Gideon slowed his hefty stride and took note that the stairwell as illuminated, as if it had been used recently. In the swing of his curious eyes, he also took note that stationed nearby said arched entry way was a brand new teleportation pad. Upon seeing this, Gideon scuffed to a confused halt and firmly peered to it in assessment, though before he could press over to it and see just what kinds of waypoints it offered, it illuminated a hot orange and materialized a being to it in a glitchy, pixelly type of way. Callum immediately came into view as he began to step off of the pad, though upon seeing Gideon's figure, or any figure for that matter, he choked a noise of terrified surprise, took a few clumsy steps backwards and unfortunately dropped the small box of items he was previously holding, thus everything spilling to the ground.

"O-Oh, I'm sorry," Gideon muttered; he finally furrowed his eyebrows and felt a ripple of bullying excitement rush over him, though as he inhaled a deep breath to properly deploy said bullying, it fizzled as he noticed Callum nervously scuffle, kneel down and begin hurriedly picking up the items he dropped. The heart of gold Ralph had so fervently gifted Gideon angrily poked the underside of his brain, and with a hot, annoyed sigh, Gideon rolled his eyes and began to cautiously step over to Callum so to begin helping him pick up the items that got away from him, "Here... Lemme help."

"I was not expecting you to just be standing there, menacingly," Callum stabbed, though he seemed defensive, Gideon could see the stark amount of fear in Callum's avoided eye contact, something that somehow gave Gideon wings.

"It's just my height and big build that looks menacing," Gideon grumbled, he choked a smiling, shaky laugh and now desperately tried to keep the air between the two calm, "I was just dropping Novus off, but had no clue why there was a teleport pad installed here... Were you using this stairwell?"

"I was," Callum quietly assured, both boys finally drew to a stand. Callum huffed a breath to collect himself, jerked his head a little so to get the golden curl of his hair out of his eyes, and with a final grunt, he lugged the box to his chest and finally braved Gideon's eye contact, "Tessa and Zed allowed me to have this spire... I moved out of my mom and dad's house."

"Oh, damn," Gideon staggered as he peered to the illuminated stairwell, he felt shock course though him as he brought his eyes back to Callum's, "What made you want to do that?"

"I don't know, I just... Needed my own space," Callum shrugged, he shook his head and sighed, "If I'm being honest with you... This past week, I've felt extremely alienated from everyone on palace grounds."

"Wow, can't imagine how that feels," Gideon muttered, he sagged his thumbs into his jean's front pockets and darkly looked off, though due to the prickled silence, he firmly peered back into Callum's eyes with mild challenge, "Wouldn't happen to be because of what happened last week, huh?"

"Yeah, it... Does," Callum sighed, it was clear his arms were beginning to tremble, and though Gideon had a moment where he had begun to feel bad, he relished in this moment, "Look... I'm well aware you don't owe me a single second of this borrowed time you're giving me."

"No, not at all," Gideon agreed in a plucky nature, Callum swallowed and gave Gideon a swing of honest eye contact.

"What I did was... Damning, to say the least," Callum staggered nervously, it was here did Gideon's heart wiggle into a weird bout of uncertainty, strictly over the fact that Callum's vibe felt entirely genuine and honest, "I lost almost everyone's trust, most importantly, yours. I'm really sorry, Gideon. I reacted because..."

"You're an idiot?" Gideon grumbled, though Callum strangely choked a laugh of full humility, nodded, shrugged and looked off.

"Sure, you're... Entitled to this," Callum mumbled through the trail of his nervous chuckling, "Had the conditions been wrong, I could've potentially killed you. I have to live with this for the rest of my life. I don't expect you to forgive me, but... I just need you to know that I'm well aware I was wrong, in that altercation. I came to your wall because... I'm just in a dark place, right now, and I felt like proving I was stronger than a gamer with powers was going to make me feel better."

"I'm not ready to forgive you," Gideon stated in quiet confidence, he felt as if he had grown wings, he inhaled a deep breath and now understood he was doing himself a service here by standing his ground. Although Callum nodded and looked off in the downswing of defeat, Gideon heaved the longest sigh his body could afford and finally at least allowed his grip to loosen, "Yet, at least... I do, however, appreciate all of this. I was certain I'd be avoiding you for the rest of time."

"I owed this to you, at the very least," Callum concluded with a nod, he grunted and lugged the box tighter to his chest and politely began to bow out of the conversation, "Just... Message me if you ever want to talk. It's no rush. I lost everyone's trust, no one really talks to me anymore, so... I don't expect it from you, but I could use a friend. If you're desperate enough, just text me."

"So, it's taken you being brought down ten pegs to now feel as if I'm worth your time?" Gideon volleyed, although he didn't want to argue, he did want Callum to understand that he could sniff out bullshit.

"That's not it, Gideon, I'm just... Never mind, okay?" Callum huffed in exhausted defeat, "Thank you for at least hearing me."

Gideon kept his furrowed look tight to Callum as he watched his older cousin turn heel and slowly head towards the stairwell. Gideon felt his heart tug, he grimaced in the rise of urgency, and it was in this instance did he finally put himself in Callum's shoes. Had he been the one to make a monumental mistake, grovel for it, extend an olive branch and show tenderness, he'd want camaraderie in return, no matter how hesitant or at arms-length it was. Just as Callum's foot hit the first step, Gideon grit his teeth and held his hand out alongside a noise of patient urgency.

"Callum," Gideon trailed said noise, to which Callum halted his footwork and stumbled to curiously peer over his shoulder. Gideon sighed through his nose, once more, and with the sag of his bigger shoulders, he shook his head and desperately tried to take his walls down in pity, "Thank you... I'm not innocent in that mess, either. I said some pretty foul things that also goaded you, as well. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Callum stated kindly, he shrugged and chuckled, "I forgive you, but... I understand the damage, on my end, was far worse and I'm happy to give you that time and space. I do hope to one day gain that forgiveness, but... No rush."

Both boys stood still in the dozen foot gap they had between each other, neither being now feeling the urgency to leave the other's presence. Gideon peered to Callum in full confusion, and though his guard was still up, he somehow now felt a full swing of camaraderie with Callum. The raw fact that Callum was now temporarily disowned by everyone on the palace lot was perfectly paired with Gideon's tendencies to not even fit in with anyone, palace-side, whatsoever. Gideon could tell by the exhausted, humbled look in Callum's eyes that he had potentially gotten an ear full from far more individuals than just Lash, and with this, Gideon prepared himself in the way of extending an olive branch in return, though Callum beat him to it, once more.

"Did you maybe want to come upstairs and see my new place? Have you ever been in the spires, before?" Callum gently questioned, and with a hug Gideon felt his soul needed, he frowned and felt as if he had finally had his best friend back.

"No, I haven't," Gideon's deep voice pressed with caution, though he slowly brightened, "Sure, I'll... I'll come up to see."

"Great," Callum's warmth filled the stairwell with a quiet echo of goodness, both men began to press up the curve of stone-walled stairs brightly illuminated by aptly placed hanging lights all the way to the top, "You know, that empty spire, all the way across the lot, is vacant. Tessa said she's holding it for you."

"... She said that?" Gideon wondered; although he was well aware said spire next door to Tessa's and Zed's was indeed vacant, Gideon rubbed the back of his head and contemplated just what it'd mean to move out of his point of safety. As the two came to the final landing, the huge dome of said spire that lead to the top of palace wall's huge walkway, Gideon peered his eyes to Callum's front door and now felt a sting of further contemplation hit his brain, "Guess... It would be nice to have a place of my own. I really should consider."

"You should, I guess rest easy knowing that spire has your name on it," Callum mumbled warmly as he popped open his front door and allowed him and Gideon inside.

As Gideon pressed inside, he raised his eyebrows high in surprise and now felt the gears in his own brain turn. Gorgeous high ceilings, concrete architecture, the spires of the palace lot were a lot more futuristic and minimal in design, as opposed to the cozy, modern homes on the ground floors of the palace. Although a luxury available to everyone, the spires held a bit more elegance and importance, they had the best views in the game, though were a point of weakness in the unfortunate event that the palace is ever under attack. Knowing the mild risk, Gideon gawked as Callum pushed into his home with confidence, to which Gideon's stroll was a bit more of a shocked, lazy saunter of eyefuls he was helping himself to. Gorgeous, herringbone white wooden floors he was used to in his parent's home, the walls were a crisp white with glossy concrete accents all along the beams of the ceiling, beautiful, exotic Sugar Rush foliage dot Callum's space in massive pots nearly Gideon's height, the whole place looked like a pristine, minimalistic dream. As they rounded into the open-aired floor plan and into the kitchen, Gideon glossed the place's almost two-story high ceilings, the equally as massive glass wall on the opposite end of the room, Callum had a solid view of Orion City's otherworldly skyline.

"Well, damn, now I'm convinced," Gideon choked a laugh and shook his head with a shrug, "I might just have to have a chat with Tessa..."

"Yeah, man, each spire is furnished the same, so you'd get nearly exactly this," Callum nodded, "I think your view is cooler in the fact that not only would you get a view of Orion City, but you'd also get a view of Sugar Rush's waffle cone entrance, and the wild lands to the South of it."

"Yeah, sounds about right," Gideon mumbled sweetly as he leaned against Callum's kitchen island, the counters were a beautiful splay of glossy, light grey stone with hints of marbleized golds and whites. Furnished with brass touches, high white cabinets and an insane splay of updated appliances all kissed against a beautiful teal accent wall, Gideon shook his head and now wondered if immediately texting Tessa would be ideal, "Alright, you convinced me. I do like my parent's house, tho... It's comfortable, cozy."

"Yeah, but... You can't really bring Kepa to your childhood bedroom, that'd be awkward," Callum stated in cheeky knowing, though it was here did Gideon pump the brakes and shoot the back of Callum's head a look as if to remind him through vibes alone that he was still not forgiven.

"There's no way in hell I'm bringing Kepa around any time soon," Gideon mumbled darkly as Callum set the box on his kitchen island, though his face sloped to gentle dread as him and Gideon caught eyes, "Whether I'm living in that spire or at my parent's house, you guys are not getting that pleasure."

"I... I guess I meant like, you could bring her to your spire, but you don't technically have to introduce her to us, if you're not comfortable," Callum shrugged, he stood prickled in concern.

"Oh, I'm not worried about that, I'm not worried about cutely just bringing her to my to-be spire, and just filling her in on everything and not introducing her to everyone," Gideon chuckled darkly, "If she found out where you lived, Callum, she'd burn down your front door... And find you. I've come to realize that I'm not refusing to bring her around to punish you guys... I'm refusing to bring her around so to protect you guys."

Callum visibly swallowed, the whole situation now became very real, and with regret, he sagged his eyes to the still pink and healing injury on Gideon's upper right inner arm.

"She met Koko today, and even then, things almost swerved off the road," Gideon stabbed, Callum furrowed his brow and shook his head.

"Why? What did Koko do?" Callum worried, Gideon rolled his eyes and looked off.

"Nothing huge, just the normal I'm used to. I was interrupted and ignored a number of times today and it was almost the final straw, with Kepa," Gideon grumbled, "I'm easy to disregard. You see, my family's first impressions of me was that of a helpless child. Somehow, I never was able to escape that. None of them fully take me seriously, even with Koko's visual of a woman on my arm."

"Did the vacation to Honeydew go that poorly?" Callum worried gently, Gideon shrugged and heaved a long sigh.

"No, it went better than I expected, and they were very kind to want to include Kepa in on family routines, from here on out, but... I don't think they understand just how many tears that girl has seen me cry, just how many grievances her ears have heard. Sure, there are decent things to say about the lot of you guys, but... In my upbringing, there's not a lot of good I can remember," Gideon tightly rattled, his eyes honed deep to Callum's shivering gaze, "Childhood trauma isn't just about the bad things that happened... It's about the good things that didn't happen."

Callum remained frozen as Gideon's golden eyes peered hard into his soul, his conclusion laid waste over Callum's fragile white flag.

"That notion unfortunately includes you," Gideon muttered, "You're probably wondering why I have requested not to be reset? Why I've asked Tessa to make this scar a permanent part of my coding, so on the off chance I ever do get reset, the scar comes along with it?"

"To remind me of my wrong-doing?" Callum stated in a downswing of knowing regret, to which Gideon bobbed a nod and looked off with a snarky little smile.

"That was the original plan," Gideon grumbled as he looked down to his fingers and sighed, "It morphed into the reminder that Kepa was the one to stitch it back up and show me more love in one night than I'd ever gotten from any of you fools in one year."

Callum held his breath and frowned, the sheer tidal wave of grief held in Gideon's eyes was enough for Callum to feel his heart physically ache. Knowing he was a part of the problem, Callum stiffened his upper lip, bobbed an apologetic nod and looked off in patient contemplation.

"I'd like to begin making it up to you," Callum started in a kind downswing of gentle humility, and though Gideon was on a high-speed bullet train straight into hurtsville, he long-blinked in suspended anticipation and allowed Callum the space to offer solutions, something Gideon had been desperately wanting all along, "I've become good friends with your old friend, Chase. I guess he had a falling out with Zee and Nemi, and... Ever since last week, and Academy going on winter break, I'm positive Oliver, Koko and them won't want to sit with me anymore."

"What about Penny?" Gideon wondered dryly, not taking the bait just yet.

"Don't tell anyone, but... Her and Orph are trying for a baby, so... She's taking time away, in Dead Zed," Callum mumbled sweetly, and though Gideon felt happiness towards his eldest cousin, he resisted the urge to speak on it due to the tough conversation at hand, "Chase really misses you, I know that he regrets the way things fell apart. I'm wondering if you'd be willing to hang out with us, sometime? I know you may not want to invite Kepa or anything, but... I mean, what about Flint?"

"The guy you're terrified of?" Gideon muttered sarcastically, Callum nodded in dismay towards himself and shrugged.

"Rumors got to me, the dark web is no joke, okay?" Callum staggered, to which Gideon rolled his eyes and gave Callum a small smile.

"Fine... I guess I'd be open to that. I miss Chase, as well," Gideon softened, to which Callum finally brightened to the old version of himself Gideon had so desperately craved, "Flint lives in that one Cyclone game near the front of the Arcade. I think the outlet is in Game Central Station."

"What game is that?" Callum wondered aloud with a look of redeeming curiosity.

"It doesn't have any supporting or main gamers that operate the game, I think it's just one of those ticket redeeming games where you stop the spinning light on certain intervals of tickets anyone could win," Gideon waggled his hand and shook his head, "I guess the exterior is just for the humans, though... The interior is an entire neon city, Cyclone City. Flint only briefly told me about it, but... We could go there if you want."

"Why there?" Callum softly wondered, defenses down.

"Cause I don't want us to be in Turbotime, where Kepa could literally rocket from the sky to come murder you, I personally don't want to go back to Academy and... I'm positive Flint doesn't want to come into Sugar Rush for fear of Tessa being the one to come rocketing from the sky to murder him," Gideon skillfully listed on his fingers.

"... Cyclone City it is," Callum muttered as he half-heartidly lifted his arm as a hurrah, Gideon choked a happy laugh and gave Callum the first genuine smile he had been afforded for nearly his whole life.

"I've done some research on the city... I've heard it's really futuristic and cool," Gideon nodded, "It'll be difficult to see Chase, again."

"He misses you. I'm sure he wants to let bygones be bygones," Callum soothed as he looked off and rubbed the back of his head, "I know it'll be a lot longer until you can feel that way about me, but... I appreciate you being willing to at least hang out with me. Going to Cyclone City sounds like a good escape I think we need, anyways."

"... You're starting to sound like me," Gideon blurt a small laugh and shook his head in teasing dismay, Callum sighed and gave Gideon a weak, humbled smile.

"Sorry it took me so long to level with you, but... I'm here, aren't I?" Callum blurt in sarcastic annoyance.

"Guess better late than never," Gideon stated with the continued release of pent up anger he had been holding towards Callum, and though he was hesitant to do so, he was thrilled to finally be peeling back layers of hatred he had successfully draped over his heart.