Reviews :
CHICKENM4N : Thank you! :D
Burgie : Thank you so much. I'll expand on Wren and Throttle for sure, I'm almost nervous to, though, cause there's a lot of people that don't agree with homosexual relationships... I just don't want to offend anyone.
Snake557 : Thank you friend :)
Song Listened To :
Falling by Yoe Mase
*Chapter 51*
"Just tell me you love her," Nox stated in a lilt of sarcastic, ironic nonchalance, he shrugged as he lofted Turbo his glowing eyes.
"I'm not saying that," Turbo muttered in annoyance; he stood a few feet from his body mirror, he nervously began to tidy his collar, he was nearly miffed at the fact that he was spending so much time on himself, in the mirror, and Nox was just lazily lounged on the lovely, comfortable lounge chair in Turbo's bedroom.
"I won't tell a soul," Nox hissed quietly, almost begging, Turbo finally lulled his eyes closed and halted his meticulous work on tidying his shirt's collar, still loosely encompassed by his untied tie.
"Nitro," Turbo's authoritative voice now glossed over Nox's soul, in which he sat up straighter into Turbo's chair and furrowed his brow in tender cheek.
"Fine... Then I'LL say that I love her," Nox now teased, the glow of Turbo's reopened eyes finally surfaced against the dark wood that encompassed his glorious, hefty body mirror, "Y'jealous?"
"No, Nox," Turbo now blurt a hard chuckle and shook his head with great cheek, he lofted Nox a glancing side eye, over his shoulder, and nervously fumbled with his own collar, even still, "I wouldn't be jealous, but I'd definitely be scared for you. Koko would have your head."
"...Dude, are you going to be okay?" Nox staggered a laugh, though it was here did Nox understand that Turbo wasn't simply being lazy or apathetic towards his tie, he seemed to be becoming out of sorts, and it was here did Nox sit up and allow his fleeting, sarcastic jokes eagerly come to a halt. He stood, approached Turbo and was almost thrilled to see Turbo ruffle his collar in frustration, sag his arms and hands to his side and lull his eyes close in whole entire defeat. Nox blurt a small laugh and now carefully approached his big brother, "There's no shame in asking for help, Turbo."
"I need help," Turbo staggered, he reopened his eyes and gently faced Nox.
In the tender reach of Nox's hands to his messy tie and collar, Turbo aimlessly glossed his eyes past Nox's shoulder and allowed his golden, glowing eyes to just get absolutely hazed in nervous thought. Dressed in a nice cream colored button down shirt, it had ever so faint red pinstripes that eased down his chest and body in very thin vertical lines. A sweet detail that only really could be noticed up close, though it was a nice touch, red to signify his old racing gear from TurboTime. A handsome pop of a dark red tie sealed the look, as well as an almost casual pair of faded black racing jeans. His longsleeve button up was tidily rolled to his elbows and untucked from his pants, Turbo knew this was a semi-formal event, though he held tight to any aspect of his more rugged, rough around the edges bad-boy look he eked on a day to day basis. With a clean shave and hair styled to compliment his naturally shorter, wavy hair, he looked incredibly handsome.
"I don't even recall the last time I wore a tie," Turbo's voice almost shook, he closed his eyes in nervous dismay as Nox's methodical hands tenderly tugged Turbo's collar and tie to correction, and in speed Turbo was certain Nox had from experience, Nox began to properly tie Turbo's thick, red tie. Turbo wrinkled his nose and so desperately tried to remember ancient memories of him and Libby Swirlz, all those decades ago, "I-I... I'm certain Libby probably invited me to something formal, when we were dating."
"It's really weird to hear you say that," Nox mumbled with a smile as he eased the finishing knot. He warmly tugged it, ran his hand down the whole of the tie, down Turbo's chest, straightened everything and took a step or two back. He smiled and shrugged in a cute, boyish fashion, "There. Perfect."
"Thank you," Turbo staggered quietly, he looked entirely lost in thought, just swamped with a million different worries, and it was here did Nox realize that both boys were now ready to head to the party; fashionably late, per Turbo's request.
"You're welcome," Nox eased; he, too, was wearing a handsome button down, though his was a stark black. He had his sleeves unrolled and tidily buttoned at his wrists, Nox stood about half a foot shorter than Turbo, though his stature and positive posture exuded all the confidence in the world, something Turbo so wished he had. Nox furrowed his brow and shook his head tenderly, "Bo, y'really that hung up about this party?"
"It's... It's the fact of the dozens of pairs of eyes that will be on me," Turbo hurried to explain, he shook his head and finally turned to his mirror, and as he assessed Nox's job well done, he straightened out his shirt for the hundredth time and finally eased into his opened bathroom, the light from both the bathroom and his bedroom lazily cascaded in different directions, though as Turbo got lost in the walk in closet, inside his bathroom, Nox remained out in Turbo's bedroom and continued to listen to Turbo's plight, "Over the course of this year, all it's been is just... Mean glowers, side-eyes, even people whispering. I can tell it's all aimed at me, those racers don't want me nearby..."
"Well, this time is different," Nox shrugged, he raised his voice only a little, just so Turbo could properly hear him, from deep inside his own walk in closet, "You have Berri... Not to mention Wren and Theo."
Turbo heaved a hard sigh, came back out of his bathroom with a nice pair of black shoes, and as he eased closer to his messy, unmade bed, so he could sit and put his shoes on, Nox turned and tenderly continued on.
"And, if you haven't forgotten, you also have me and Throttle," Nox shrugged and gestured his hand to his own chest, he shook his head and finally gave Turbo a cute smile, "I know you're in good with Tessa and Zed... The racers just don't know you well enough."
"Hopefully tonight changes that, a little," Turbo pressed in forced positivity, he knew he was going to get absolutely nowhere without it.
"C'mon... Let's not waste anymore time, we're already almost twenty minutes late," Nox stated with a gentle sigh, he bobbed a nod and smiled as Turbo's strong heels steadily hit the matte tiles underneath him, and in simple urgency, both men eased out of Turbo's room. Turbo heaved a shaky breath, gently tightened the knot of his tie a little, due to Nox's careful hands not tightening it too tight, and as they rounded into Turbo's kitchen, Turbo's hand swiped at the button underneath the counter's island; the front door began to drum in the soft, mechanical whirl of it sliding opening. Nox rubbed the back of his head and aimlessly peered across Turbo's now dimly lit home in confusion, "...Why DID you want to show up late, anyways?"
"I'm punctual, but when it comes to parties, Nox, you don't ever arrive first," Turbo muttered as he cued to the digital display near the gape of his now opened door, just on the wall next to it. He began to quickly turn off more lights in his home, and as his and Nox's glowing eyes were now practically the only light source, Turbo gestured to his opened door and allowed Nox out first, "I'm not trying to show up to a party any earlier than fifteen minutes after it's started... Also, I'd so much rather just slip in on the teleportation pad in the back of the rec hall."
"...Why the BACK?" Nox now staggered, he was well aware the party was being held at the recreational hall, on the palace lot, due to it being the largest building to accommodate a huge party, as such, though he practically had to scour his brain for just exactly where the rec hall's second teleportation pad was, "I mean... I-I guess I understand why you don't want to show up at the one at the very front entrance of the rec hall, but... I guess I'm just forgetting where the second teleportation pad is. Weird."
"I know all side and back exits to any building on the palace lot," Turbo mumbled as the both of them softly stepped out of Turbo's home and into his seemingly small, dead end front door's foyer, also dimly lit. As they were about to turn to their left and head for the powered off teleportation pad just outside his now closing front door, Nox cocked an eyebrow and peered his prominently glowing gaze tight to Turbo's in cheeky bewilderment.
"You have WAY too much alone time, dude," Nox blurt a small laugh, and as both boys softly sagged onto the teleportation pad, the holographic display of way-points and other pad's markers gently flickered on in a gentle jolt of red electricity. Turbo heaved a long, shaky sigh and peered hard at the holographic display, though Nox noticed it was an aimless gaze of now rising terror. Nox heaved a small chuckle and lovingly gripped Turbo's lower arm in a show of tender care, "Turbo... You're going to be FINE. We'll just go, you and I can mosey around, and I'll help you find Berri... Unless she finds you first."
"I-I have no idea what I'm even going to say," Turbo staggered in now visible show of boyish anxiousness, the both of them hovered in the now awake teleport pad, and as the silence of Turbo's smaller, low ceiling foyer encompassed both boys in the reality of this moment, Nox heaved a patient sigh through his nose and relaxed in his big brother's now much tighter presence, his fear was absolutely palpable, "I-I... Now that we're standing on this pad, I'm realizing I'm way more worried about Berri's reaction than anyone else's."
"...Well, User, your whole issue is solved, then," Nox blurt a gentle laugh, to which Turbo's innocently nervous eyes finally drew to Nox in soft curiosity, "You don't even care about anyone else. Because no one else matters... And I can tell you right now, Berri will probably do eight back flips and then glitch hop all the way to the moon, upon seeing you. Especially dressed like this."
"I don't think she'll be THAT excited," Turbo grumbled as he inhaled a deep breath, and as his finger finally hovered over the small, red holographic button that clearly stated one of the two teleportation pads of the recreational hall, and as he nervously eyed Nox, he tried not to look too scared, "Y'ready?"
"Are YOU?" Nox chuckled as he sagged his hands into his pant's pockets, and as Turbo's masculine chest rose with the deep, shaky inhale of preparation, he cocked an eyebrow and barely shook his head.
"Not even a little," Turbo dully eased; nonetheless, his finger gently sagged into the button that awaited their fate.
As Turbo scrunched his eyes shut tight and inhaled a deep breath, the comfort of his teleportation pad eagerly whisked him and Nox away to a pad that they hardly ever frequent. In the rush of electricity whizzing them clear across the entirety of Orion City, both boys were tenderly brought to the much larger teleportation pad hidden a little deeper in the recreational hall's warm, homey, high ceilinged walls and pillars. With a sharp inhale through his nose, Turbo's nervous eyes were now graced with an entirely different scene, the insanely stark difference from his homey little foyer to the sudden, fully lit high arched ceilings of honey gold, pillars that lined this area of the recreational hall, and the one thing he was dreading the most, all sorts of different palace members, racers and gamers were practically everywhere. With Nox's brotherly presence, his kind, anticipatory eyes glanced up to Turbo's trembling disposition, and in warmth, he nudged Turbo's arm to somehow silently persuade him off of the teleportation pad.
As if Turbo could hardly feel his knees, his wary footsteps eased off of the pad, alongside Nox's, and although his exterior was typically an extremely calm and collected version of a typical bad boy that didn't give two craps what anyone thought, his interior was doughy and warm to the touch. He nervously sagged his hands into his pant's front two pockets, he kept tight to himself, and with his worst nightmare coming true, he could see all sorts of tossed glances his way, mumbling whispers from familiar faces to other more familiar faces, the whole of it was a blur. Turbo was thrilled Nox was tightly cued to his big brother, and was strict in making clear he wasn't about to leave his side. Turbo knew eventually he'd be okay with Nox wavering from his presence, though Turbo almost felt relieved that the crowd was lively, the music droned on in the background, it was a way he could go without hearing the muttering, nervous whispers he usually would.
Although his heart just sagged and sagged, he was thrilled to see very familiar faces eagerly wave to him and show tender thrill that he was here, beings like Felix and Calhoun, as well as Penny, Libby and Koko. He knew he'd eventually have to come out of his shell if he were to be palling around with Sugar Rush's new leaflets of this incredibly crazy family tree, and although the mixture of glee and detest was weird to grapple at, he was hoping he'd spot a particular blue-haired beauty sometime soon, thus eradicating all of his worries. As him and Nox moseyed down the hall, Nox successfully was able to trail Koko alongside the two, an even safer bout of camaraderie that Turbo was grateful for. Koko had so kindly given Turbo a little bit of small talk and was well in the loop of his nervous nature for even coming to this party, Turbo knew that Nox had likely filled Koko in on everything. Turbo was grateful for the swap mate that Nox had picked in life, Koko sweetly made sure that Turbo was at ease, and like dipping into scalding hot water, Koko finally gave Turbo a cheeky smile and side-eyed him in whole knowing.
"We're really glad you were able to make it," Koko bobbed a nod, her and Nox caught eyes in a slew of tender, smiling knowing, "Though, I'm sure you're looking for the birthday girl."
"I am," Turbo admitted quietly with a small nod, he kept his eyes tight to Koko's, he finally eased a nervous smile as Koko bobbed another nod of understanding, lifted her pointer finger and now stood on tip toes, her eager eyes began to gloss the crowd of people, noisy party goers, everyone causally hung out in the massive recreational hall, the chatter and music filled the game with a symphony of good times, something Turbo now desperately was eager to melt into; he was well aware currently was sticking out like a sore thumb.
"I saw her with a few other people near the pool tables, a little bit ago. C'mon, let's go see," Koko instructed kindly; she was wearing a cute, formal top and nice skinny jeans, her chocolate brown hair draped her shoulders and chest in waves that glistened under the warm house lights of the party. Koko gestured for both Turbo and Nox to follow her, she perked up and skipped a step as she glanced over her shoulder, "Follow me."
In the single filed line Koko lead, Turbo kept his eyes down and bashfully followed tight behind Nox. As if desperate to at least look normal, desperate to blend in, he causally looked up and inhaled a nervous, silent breath as he allowed his glowing, golden eyes to gloss the hall they strolled down. The recreational hall was a hefty building with a main room, it consisted of a massive lounging area, alongside a proper dining area and a swooping kitchen space with a gorgeous span of never-ending counter tops and a solid island to host a vast amount of people. Although this was all on one single room, under one section of the gorgeous arches and beams of the high ceilings, the recreational hall eventually sagged into a longer corridor, a miniature great hall that not only lead to a cozy, inviting billiard hall, but also a separate upstairs area that housed a few massive bedrooms, suited for sleepovers. The hall glowed, every being inside of it was alive with excitement, with chatter and celebration, a proper way to segue into the end of the year.
As Koko, Nox and Turbo reached the entrance area of the miniature great hall, it forked into two open-aired, lazy avenues. The way to the left was the introductory splay of glossy tiles that lead into the kitchen, and eventually the living quarters of the space. To the right was a small, arched alcove that lead into the billiards hall, lined with glass windows that looked into the flyer's gorgeous, jungle-foliage enclosure. Although it was dark, due to it being way past sundown, little glimpses of the leaves and trees could see seen strictly from the indoor lights that eked through said glass. Although he could still practically feel the eyes on him, the very vibration of the whispers he was likely certain was being spread about him, the shock of his presence even so much as being here was quite a sight to behold, he desperately held onto the notion that finding Berri would help this venture; he tried not to use said notion as a handicap, though he knew this whole ordeal of coming out of his cave would eventually get easier.
"I don't know, she was JUST in there, I swear," Koko huffed with a small giggle of flustered dismay, she shook her head and, although her and Nox began to look around, Turbo sagged his shoulders and knew he had to fight the itch to step away.
He was certain the walls were now closing in around him, he took a small step back and began to feel his heart just sag with the impending roll of judgy side eyes he was certain he was receiving, and in the second gentle roll of his back step, his back softly eased into the last pillar of the hall they were in, the crossroads to the three different sections of the recreational hall. Turbo flinched a little, heaved a shaky sigh through his nose and now took this opportunity to assess his whole surroundings. He furrowed his eyebrows in itching terror, he could see the Sugar Rush racers in different friend groups, everyone loudly chattered in mixed groups and mixed games, and although Turbo was certain that upon arrival, all eyes were on him, he was somewhat delighted to see that the party had moved on and mostly everyone had continued just doing what they were doing. Turbo sagged in a smaller bout of tender revival as Nox and Koko did their best to look around the billiard area, though with a small gloss of Turbo's eyes into the neighboring, opened living and kitchen area to his left did his heart stop mid beat, the catch of the familiar, cerulean blue he had been itching to find.
Turbo raised his eyebrows in prickled surprise as his grey skin raised with goosebumps, he kept his hands tight in his front pockets as he finally landed eyes on Berri. She stood, loudly and happily chatting with Wren, they both stood facing each other, hips leaned against the hall's massive sprawl of a kitchen island and counter, gorgeous splashes of marbles lined the place. Turbo long-blinked in whole disbelief; through the weave of the moseying crowd, Berri stood proud and tall, she wore an adorable little grey coat of a shawl that had short sleeves and barely poofed at her upper arms, a beautiful white tank that was long and flowy, black, slick skinny jeans and a gorgeous, solid pair of heels, she was an absolute vision. Her vivid, long blue hair was straightened and laced like silk down her back in a flair of razored, precise layers, a sleek gloss of health that glistened underneath the glow of the hall's warm lights over head. Turbo cocked an eyebrow and absolutely could not help but eye her in whole admiration, her curvy figure was absolutely beautiful, the subtle show of just a little bit of cleavage had Turbo super thankful he was over two dozen feet from her. He practically sagged into a daydream, he was entirely certain that every single body about them was just perspective blur, and she was the single and most important line on the horizon.
"He like... WANTS to fly, I've seen him glide before, it IS possible," Berri argued with a wide, annoyed smile, her eyes hooked tight to Wren's as he bobbed a nod, furrowed his brow and intently listened to her story; Chester comfortably sat on his hind quarters near the island, alongside Berri and Wren. The noise about the party was way too noisy for him to simply go moseying about by himself, so wherever Berri went, Chester went, "He was perched on top of the palace's outer wall, and then he glided all the way to Throttle's home, from Ace's tower... Silly thing thought I didn't see."
"Maybe there's a way you can like... Map the world from up in the air, through the exterior swap?" Wren grasped at straws, he shook his head and shrugged, as if to wonder if it was maybe a lost cause, "Certainly you can have your mom or Ace or someone do something, maybe... There's gotta be some form of a code room trick."
"Mom has been battling his eye sight coding for the entirety of his life... Chester turns one in three months," Berri shrugged, "Who knows... I'll see if Ace can maybe muster something up, we'll see, I guess."
"It may very well just have to be a trust exercise, between you and Chester," Wren breathed a hard chuckle and shrugged, he finally peered to Chester with a smile and loved how happy-go-lucky Chester's demeanor was, his turquoise tongue drooped out of his mouth in a soft, satisfied pant, like an overgrown puppy, "He seems happy, no matter what, though... You have eyes, maybe he'll one day trust that you won't steer him wrong... Literally."
"I've been successful in getting him out and about the game, via exterior swap... He does just fine in Orion City, but..." Berri droned in defeat, she heaved a hard sigh, she glossed her eyes to her right in a lazy fashion of a simple glance around, and although she inhaled a long breath to conclude this topic with Wren, she took a sharp double take on the being that stood almost twenty feet off.
Berri froze in a jolt of searing stun, and as her eyes hooked tight to Turbo's familiar, glowing, golden orbs from far across the stretch, she felt as if every single pixel in her body had suddenly raised in the desire to glitch in a haphazard show of bewilderment, though she was somehow shocked she kept it all together. With raised eyebrows, a small gape of whole surprise, an entirely frozen demeanor, a few people softly walked in and out of her's and Turbo's solid, unwavering string of molten eye contact, and it was here that she simply felt as if she couldn't get her feet to agree with her body. She huffed a sharp, surprised breath of entire disbelief, Turbo stood with his vision eagle-eyed on her, an adorable, knowing smolder of a smirk on his face, simply as if he was a predator that had been waiting in the shadows to strike, only to give his prey the honor of discovering him first, ultimately allowing her to win this round of hide and seek. Berri finally scoffed a breath of a bemused chuckle of continued disbelief, she felt the world's noise blur to a background drum of nonsense, and as her feet finally cooperated with her brain, her whole being made an unmoving, unwavering bee-line straight for the one and only person missing from this lovely evening.
In a rush of a tender, skillful push of agility through the crowd, Berri kept her eyes tightly hooked to Turbo's as she gently launched away from her's and Wren's conversation; with quick footwork, she managed to easily step around people, a bob and weave of skill she developed strictly through learning how to glitch hop from Tessa and Vanellope. She made absolutely certain to keep her gaze tight to Turbo's as she rapidly approached his frozen, almost delightfully haunting figure, the itch to shove right into Turbo's bubble and melt into the hard fact that witnesses would now understand just how wonderful Turbo actually was, she could practically hear the clack of her black stilettos echo in a reverberating, dominant ricochet throughout the entire hall. As she reached half a dozen feet from Turbo, she felt a weird sensation come over her, the urge to dive right into his arms was way too strong to even think about reeling and halting production of said physical contact that Turbo would probably only begrudgingly agree too. As she peered hard into his eyes, she was entirely encouraged to see Turbo's masculine chest rise with a readied inhale, he removed his hands from his pockets with positive, anticipatory glee, and it was here did Berri delightfully respond to each of his cues; she was floored that there were no questions asked.
As a small, sweet smile of still persistent disbelief sprawled Berri's cute face, she finally huffed a bashful giggle and bravely pushed into Turbo's still, patiently waiting gravity. With ease, she quickly slid her arms tight about Turbo's neck and, with a push and a small choke of yet another bashful giggle, she successfully glued herself to Turbo, the sink of her body tight against his broad, warm chest, she scrunched her eyes and hugged him as tightly and as happily as she could. Berri was floored to feel Turbo hold strong, he was gleefully anticipating her push of a hug, as if to make silently clear that he was equally as prepared to give her the biggest hug he could, he was an unmoving wall of warmth and support. As the sides of their heads sagged together in the squeeze, Berri felt her heart practically do a backflip the second Turbo's chest reverberated a warm, loving chuckle, hovered right near her ear, the feel of his strong, supportive arms warmly weaved about her middle and upper back, she scrunched her eyes tighter and beamed the widest, girliest, most excited smile she could.
Turbo grinned down into Berri's little shoulder, she had a little bit more height to her, due to her heels, though he felt his coding wiggle with reignited glee. He forgot just what this all entailed, the feeling of a woman he cared for safely encompassed in his strong, protective embrace, he lulled his eyes closed and dared to squeeze her tighter, almost in a lift right off of her feet. He knew not to cause any more of a scene than the two likely already were causing, though he swore to himself that he'd hold this special hug of theirs for as long as she would allow. After what seemed to be almost fifteen seconds of a hug, Turbo finally blurt a gentle chuckle as Berri only squeezed him tighter and just barely swayed her upper body, as if to express that she was entirely floored that he was here with her, in this raw and fragile predicament, as if letting go would make it so he'd vanish. Turbo finally blurt yet another chuckle as she squeezed just a notch tighter and emit a struggle of a giggle of whole delight onto his strong, broad shoulder. Turbo dared to rub her upper back in tenderness, as if to silently convey to her that he wasn't going to run away the second she let go.
In the slow draw of a final though still snuggly release, Berri hovered tight to his gravity, peered hard up into his eyes and looked entirely glossed with a dewy, glowing spirit, as if this was just the thing to make her party perfect, she dared to keep her hands gripped to the strong, inner bed of Turbo's lower arms. The two peered hard into each other's eyes, and though they still hovered tight in each other's personal space, Berri was thrilled Turbo didn't shy from it, or act as if it was maybe something that was way too uncomfortable for him to be displaying, in front of the lot of his peers. Turbo beamed a small, sneaky smile, as if he was comfortable showing Berri a whole smile, though with the very certain amount of now curious onlookers, he only was able to push forth a delightfully nervous, closed-mouth smile, as if to silently promise her that he'd be back to his comfortable self the next time they were alone. Berri shook her head in still continued disbelief and gazed her cute, innocent, and bashfully shocked eyes of smiling warmth straight into his soul, like an arrow from cupid, bulls-eyed on his heart.
"I can't believe you came," Berri eased in a breath of warmth and quiet tenderness, she long blinked in endearing uncertainty and smiled as she continued on, "I'm sure this is one of the hardest things you've had to do, as of late..."
"It definitely was," Turbo declared gently, and as the background blur of nonsense finally came back to his peripheral, he was now floored to feel that the amount of gawking onlookers wasn't something that terrified him, it wasn't something that made him feel shy or embarrassed; he began to feel alive, his soul relished in the shocked roll of potential naysayers, he held the dip of Berri's small waist and now was entirely ready to boast this beautiful woman before him. He wondered just exactly what came over him the second he held her waist a little tighter, he gave her a gentle, humbled smolder of a smile as he eased a warm conclusion down to her, "But, you're worth it."
