Reviews :

Snake557 : Yes, indeed! :)

CHICKENM4N : It definitely has helped me out, that's for sure. It's a solid word, and doesn't sound cheesy, as the other adjectives I've seen used for the male genitalia always make me just cringe and feel weird. I'd like to say I've improved, in that aspect. 6 years ago, I was way too shy to write oral sex, let alone NORMAL sex, so that scene in Wrecking Limits was actually INCREDIBLY difficult for me to write. In all of my swap scenes, I try to keep it as tasteful as possible, I avoid obvious words, easy words, you know the ones. It's my goal to never ever say the obvious word for said 'distention' except if MAYBE a character verbally states it in a joking manner, or whatever. I care about my characters and how I portray them, cause they're an extension of myself, an extension of my heart. So, I appreciate you saying that - that scene in Wrecking Limits may very well have sucked, excuse the pun, but just know it actually took me days to write, strictly because I was so self conscious and nervous about posting it. Thank you for your feedback!

Burgie : That means SO much to me, seriously! THANK YOU!


Song Listened To :

In Great Strides by Joris de Man & The Flight (Horizon Zero Dawn OST)


*Chapter 83*

In the soft, periwinkle sunrise Sugar Rush silently laid over the land, the palace lot was frozen in time, a gorgeous, untouched lay of fresh, pristine snow that coat the grounds in a heavenly layer of fluff. Covered in the shroud of Penny's and Orph's tower overhang, Rancis stood in patient wait, his snow boots crunched underneath the ice that had dribbled down to the cobbles the night prior. Accompanied by Boss and Lickity, he stood and awaited Orph's presence. Although Rancis was typically up with the sun every Saturday morning, before game day, to do a thorough inspection of Orion City, as well as the outer lands of the palace, he was thrilled that Orph showed interest in joining. Although Orph wasn't due to becoming one of Sugar Rush's Knights, he was still married to the Queen's right hand woman, and any stance of looking after Sugar Rush was appreciated. As Rancis's sleepy blue eyes glossed the Sugar Rush lot, the view he had of Throttle's quiet abode, as well as Berri's, Wren's and Theo's tower just off in the distance, the stretch of snow looked entirely inviting to just go romping in. Before his sleepy, boyish thoughts could get too far ahead of him, Penny's and Orph's common room teleportation pad gently hummed with life, fresh with their new, lovely, peachy colored coding.

Boss and Lickity gently perked their large bat ears in anticipation, the heavy shuffle of their clawed paws on the cold snow, the ruffle of their fluffy winter manes, everyone anticipated Orph's figure on the teleportation pad. Although Rancis was certain he'd be greet with a rather grumbly, thorny, half awake individual, Rancis flinched and was floored to see Orph, looking as if he had been awake for a little while, already fed a good breakfast, dressed in proper winter clothes and ready for their morning excursion, a lesson in looking for Orph. Rancis huffed a heavily fogged breath and smiled at his son in law, who slowly moseyed from the cove of the teleportation pad and to the exterior of their tower's outdoor gathering area. Although Lickity technically didn't allow anyone but Zed or Tessa to fly her, she made exceptions for Orph, on occasion, due to their now tight-knit relationship. Lickity flattened her ears in submission and softly sauntered in Orph's direction as he, too, filled the gap. She lulled her eyes closed in delight as his gloved hand lovingly met with her wrinkled snout in care.

"Wow," Rancis's tired voice croaked with another fogged chuckle, he tucked his gloved hands into his fur-lined hoodie, "I was absolutely certain I'd have to call Penny and have her wake you up, and remind you of our chore this morning."

"She did, anyways," Orph's sleepy voice volleyed, both men blurt into a sweet bubble of fogged laughter as Boss and Lickity hung in smiling, silent wait, "Was kind enough to make me breakfast... I think she's more excited for me than I am."

"It's okay, this isn't my favorite thing to do, either," Rancis shook his head, "But... I signed up for it, and it's added protection. Can't always trust the code room to run as smoothly and as seamlessly as we want. Sometimes our eyes can catch things that the code room would've never sniffed out."

"Sir," Orph agreed in tender politeness, Boss gently flattened his ears and lifted his head to cue to everyone that he was about to speak up.

"Helps that we go out and hunt, too," Boss encouraged, his deep voice held such depth that nearly just felt like rumbling bass from a loud speaker, "We keep our eyes peeled, while we're out, as well."

"Everyone plays their part," Rancis lovingly concluded as he sagged his hand to Boss's dark, bat snout. Boss lulled his incredible blue eyes closed and eased into Rancis's warmth, "I'm just grateful you decided to join in. Sugar Rush isn't your home game, so... It really means a lot."

"It may not be my home game, but it is my home," Orph shrugged, he gave Rancis a kind smile, he was thrilled the two were now on good terms with each other, "I mean, it's in my coding, now. Surely these two bats understand."

"All three of us are from Dead Zed, but... We have lives here, too," Boss bobbed a nod and cutely eyed Lickity, "We have family here. It's home."

"Agreed," Lickity kindly concluded; although her and Boss were wide awake and ready for their weekly excursion about the perimeter, they were excited to come back home and sleep, due to their nocturnal nature.

"On that note, I brought you these," Rancis eased to Orph kindly, he handed him an extra pair of flight goggles and a weather-proof black scarf to secure over his face, so they weren't so openly exposed to the freezing, high altitude air of Sugar Rush's winter morning clouds. Orph took the items with gratitude as Rancis continued, "We shouldn't be gone longer than a half an hour, but... Winter is the worst time to do this. If you're not awake yet, trust me... You will be."

"It even gets chilly for us," Lickity prod in mild annoyance, she bristled her gorgeous, furry mane and flattened her ears in mild dread, "And we're basically one big walking winter coat."

"Shoulda brought my shears," Orph teased Lickity, he lightly nudged her snout as she huffed a hot breath through her nose and shot him a displeased smile of annoyance.

"Alright, let's head out," Rancis smiled in excitement, he gave the center of Orph's chest a firm, loving pat as he began to sag closer to Boss, both dragons were properly saddled and prepared for the flight, "Y'ready to go?"

"Yeah, let's do this," Orph encouraged, though just as Rancis stepped aside and eased into Boss's presence, Orph's line of sight was broadened to the stretch of field between Throttle's abode and Berri's tower. Orph felt his pupils tighten at the sight of an individual shlepping his way through the thick snow, the winter fog nearly concealed the details, though the second Orph realized just who this person was, he froze and felt confusion lick his half-awake brain, "Uh... I-Is... Wren coming with, too?"

"Wren?" Rancis repeated in confusion, Rancis was well aware he wasn't expecting Wren to join in on these duties, any time soon, due to getting acclimated to Academy, though the second he pierced his vivid blue eyes to Orph, he noticed Orph's silver gaze was strictly caught on something far off in the distance.

Rancis sharply furrowed his brow, followed Orph's line of sight and felt his stomach clench at the raw sight of Wren nearly stumbling to Berri's tower. Rancis held his breath in entire confusion, he knew that the Academy kids enjoyed their weekends due to the fact that they could sleep in and be lazy, though the sight of Wren stumbling home, at this raw, silent hour of the morning, had Rancis's brain reeling in total bewilderment. Orph raised his eyebrows in surprise as the notion hit him head on, he messily covered his sheepish smile, with his glove, and now sharply stabbed his eye contact straight into Lickity's; she eagerly returned the sharp volley in hard, beaming understanding. Rancis wrinkled his nose in whole confusion that would not let up, though as the gears in his brain continued to turn, he felt his skin prickle at the realization that began to sink into him, the raw sight of Wren's stumbling, snowy footprints that lead away from Throttle's glowy home, Rancis felt a weird wave of protection come crashing down on him, all over again; just when he thought it was all said and done with.

"Do you wanna tell him or should I?" Lickity mumbled to Orph in a monotone drone of cheekiness, though Rancis cocked an eyebrow and turned to face Orph in a further show of unmitigated bewilderment.

"Wh-why is Wren leaving Throttle's house at this hour?" Rancis pressed to Orph, not as if to be a serious question, though more so to ask just what Wren thought he was doing.

"...Well, y'see... When a man and another man love each other VERY much-" Orph was sharply interrupted from his cheeky gesture of hands and trying not to laugh.

"I need to talk to him," Rancis suddenly stabbed, and though Orph came out of his and Lickity's giggle-fit, Orph flinched in surprise as Rancis suddenly began to march out into the snow.

"Dad, dad," Orph urged quietly as he lunged forward and grappled Rancis's upper arm; Rancis peered over his shoulder in nervous confusion, the air before both men fogged, and although Orph was successful in stopping Rancis, he seemed tense in a rile of fatherly protection. Orph shook his head and choked a small laugh, "C'mon, there's no need for that. What's the good in talking to Wren about this right now? Surely he's on his way home to go to sleep."

"B-But... What was he thinking being at Throttle's house that late?" Rancis quietly argued, and although Lickity and Boss maybe had their own opinions on the subject matter, they politely stayed quiet as Orph was successful in pulling Rancis back into the overhang of their lovely, snowy outdoor common room, a gazebo like atmosphere that went unused in these cold months.

"... Do you REALLY want me to answer that?" Orph cocked an eyebrow and suspiciously eyed Throttle's abode, though he flinched once Rancis choked an annoyed noise of plea, "Dad, he was probably... Well... Doing things."

"With THROTTLE of all people?" Rancis hissed in confusion, Orph knew this wasn't a stab at Throttle's character and was more-so confusion as to how this spark of relation came about.

"Every hermit crab has a soft spot on its' shell," Rancis shrugged with a cute, cheeky smile, "Maybe Throttle has a soft spot for Wren. C'mon, Throttle's a good man, all those TurboTime boys are."

"He's Turbo's old racing coach," Rancis grunted in mild dismay, clearly grasping at straws, though Orph cocked an eyebrow and now crossed his arms.

"Ranc, you can't take this stance... That's in the past. I'm Zed's younger brother, and Zed's technically a bad guy," Orph gestured to himself, which had Rancis struggling to find words to say, "And now look at me... You HATED me, remember? You wanted nothing but for me to keep a one hundred mile radius from Penny, at all times. And now we're married with shared codes, and you love me."

"...You're alright," Rancis muttered, though he choked a small laugh as Orph bravely shoved on Rancis' upper arm. Rancis beamed a subdued smile and gave Orph a look of defeat, "Fine, I love you, man, c'mon, knock it off."

"Then YOU knock it off, Wren's an adult, let him make adult decisions without you wanting to jump down Throttle's throat," Orph pressed sweetly, and although Orph's opinions meant literally nothing to Rancis two years ago, Rancis softened to his new son and allowed his walls to properly come down. He gave Orph a soft look of vulnerable uncertainty as Orph pressed on, "And, you're lucky, in this situation... Not only do you know Throttle really well, there's no chance of Wren getting Throttle pregnant, or anything. You remember how it was when you first met me."

"Yeah, that sucked," Rancis choked, both men softly laughed, "I didn't know you from Adam, and I had just gained my daughter back."

"This situation is entirely different, just... Let Wren make decisions for himself," Orph encouraged, the love he had for his new little brother went just as deep as the love he had for his real little brothers, in Dead Zed. Orph gently held his hand to his chest and shook his head, "If Wren and Throttle ARE a thing, then, you have absolutely nothing to worry about. Throttle is a great guy, held accountable by everyone here. He's wise beyond all of his years, he's a teacher, he's mature and responsible... Maybe it's everything Wren needs. I wouldn't stifle this, dad."

Rancis felt his ears prickle at the sweet sound of Orph being comfortable enough to refer to him as his own dad. Between two User made gamers, who didn't have parents, Rancis felt his heart swell with the idea of Orph moving Rancis right into that paternal figurehead, in his life. He finally gave Orph a sweet smile and lovingly rested his hand to Orph's broad shoulder. In a gentle squeeze and a jostle, Rancis rolled his eyes, looked off to Berri's tower and watched as Wren disappeared inside of it. He finally lulled his eyes closed and exhaled a long, foggy breath out to the cold wind before them. Rancis shook his head and shrugged, knowing Orph was right, here, and every single last ounce of protection that Orph had for Wren spoke volumes to Rancis.

"Thank you," Rancis grumbled, he eyed Orph in cheeky annoyance.

"For what?" Orph patiently wondered.

"For keeping me in check," Rancis concluded in gentle defeat, he expanded his chest in a deep breath of revival and shrugged, "I just... Want the best for my kids."

"Well, Penny's already all set," Orph cheesed as he gestured to himself and gave Rancis a cocky smile of delight; Lickity stifled a hard laugh as Rancis' loving squeeze and jostle, on Orph's shoulder, suddenly became a bit more aggressive, of which Orph blurt a cute, quiet laugh of annoyance. He carried on through his laughter as Rancis finally unhanded him, "Just talk to Wren about it. Don't come at him, just wonder what's up with it. Be a safe spot for Wren, dad... I remember where there was a season of time where Penny was nervous to come to you about the idea of me and her together. Be a safe place... I know Wren needs it more than anyone. You're Sugar Rush's Knight, sure, but... Most importantly, you're a father. A point of safety for all your children."

Rancis lofted his gentle, surprised gaze into Orph's eyes. The amount of maturity and wisdom that Orph donned looked incredible on him, having remembered a point in time where Orph let his cockiness and boyish attitude get the better of him, he was delighted to understand that Penny had definitely chosen wisely. He knew Wren would do the same, and although the very sight of his own son stumbling home at sunrise, ankle deep in snow, uncertain of just what had taken place between Wren and Throttle, Rancis lulled his eyes closed and knew that Wren was strong enough to hold his own. As hard as if was to let go of his own children, he knew he could at least try and be a guiding hand, as opposed to a closed fist of worry and aggression. The three sat in the dregs of Orph's wise words, a situation Rancis almost irritatedly smiled at, something he never thought he'd ever truly think in his own thoughts.


In moseying footsteps of exhausted delight, Wren eased into his tower's quiet foyer. In a silent few kicks, he was able to get his snow boots off, a haphazard slump to the small alcove of Berri's and Theo's winter boots, which sat in frozen wait. Wren felt his heart sag heavy in his chest, heavy with love and emotion, heavy with exhaustion and understanding. He was well aware he'd maybe eventually tell Berri and Theo just what had happened between him and Throttle, on this fateful early morning, though for now, he was beyond excited to melt into his own bed and sleep the whole entire Saturday away. He could already feel his head begin to throb with the impending hangover he knew he was due for, he scrunched his eyes shut tight in dread and noted to take a hefty glass of water upstairs with him. Although the kiss of a peachy sunrise glinted through the snowy, fogged windows of their massive overhang, in the main room, he felt his heart jump in a startle of surprise the second the back door gently popped open, he had only just barely rounded the corner into their main room.

"...Oh!" Berri scoffed with a small breath as she suddenly halted to a stop; she was wearing her favorite, fluffy robe over a comfortable pair of grey, fuzzy pajama bottoms, ones of which had cute, golden star patterns all over. Her fluffy pink robe hung open a little, revealing a blue cami underneath, one that matched her hair perfectly. She looked as if she had just woken up, having let Chester outside to use the bathroom, and although the day was just barely beginning, the dewy look in her eye lead Wren to believe that she was maybe awake for the day. Wren felt his heart begin to thud in uncertainty as he clutched his chest in surprise and shook his head; Berri giggled and carried on as her and Chester scuttled inside, "Wren, a-are... Where did you come from? I could've sworn you were upstairs, asleep."

"I really should be," Wren grumbled in irritation, a headache that now crowned the back of his eyeballs. He rubbed his forehead and grimaced Berri a sheepish look of regret, "How come you're awake?"

"I just naturally woke up, and, well... Chester needed to use the bathroom," Berri gestured to Chester, and although he was typically a ball of energy, he sensed Wren's and Berri's tenderness and approached Wren as calmly as his bumbling nature could afford. Berri huffed a small giggle, stood up straight and eyed Wren in rising, girly suspicion. She sagged her hands into the gaping pockets of her loved robe, she side-eyed Wren in knowing and smirked, "...You just came from Throttle's, didn't you."

"...Yes, I did," Wren rolled his eyes and easily caved, he slumped his hefty winter coat to the bend of the kitchen island that also conjoined with the kitchen, he shook his head and peered into said kitchen in a slump of exhaustion that just began to sap every last pixel of his, "I-I... Well..."

"I'm going to make myself a cup of coffee and some breakfast," Berri interrupted as she approached Wren. As lovingly as she could, she gripped Wren's upper arm, warmly moved him to a nearby bar stool, sat him down, pat the counter and began to giddily bounce into the kitchen, so to start on the chore she had promised, "And youuuu... Are going to sit right there, and tell me EVERYTHING."

"Berri," Wren grumbled in now blushing sweetness, he looked down to his opened hands and felt his heart flutter in whole nervousness; he knew they both made a promise to each other, as best friends, as acting cousins. Wren shook his head, lulled his eyes closed and smiled, he knew full well to keep said promise, the one of cheekily spilling the details of their very firsts in life, he knew Berri was a safe spot, "I-I don't even know where to start."

"Well, okay, let's just cut right to it, then," Berri chimed as she opened the fridge and began to pull out her delicious, cinnamon coffee creamer, "Did you two kiss? Did youuu... Get handsy?"

"Yeah, Bear, and... Wow, had I'd known it'd be THAT fun, I'd have dived in SO much sooner," Wren choked a small laugh and tried to ignore the headache he was somersaulting into; Berri shot him an excited, girly smile and shrugged her shoulders.

"Did you guys...?" Berri side-eyed Wren in bold expectancy, though Wren blushed and looked off in mild dismay.

"No, I wanted to, though, boy did I want to," Wren huffed bashfully, he cocked an eyebrow and watched as Berri bit her lip, bounced on her toes and clapped her hands in teasing excitement. She then whirled around to quickly prepare her coffee, the amount of delightful gossip and conversation, she was rushing into, was something she didn't want to end, "I-I guess... Swapping, for me and Throttle, is different and a bit more, well... Convoluted. He knows how to do it, but we chickened out. That, and, that's a HUGE commitment I don't think I'm ready for."

"So HE initiated the idea?" Berri wondered in a hiss of delight, though Wren bashfully looked up and heaved a heavy, hard sigh that trailed to a shy chuckle.

"No, no, I definitely, eh... Initiated everything," Wren huffed, he rubbed his eye as Berri squeed a noise of excitement, "I can't believe any of that happened, to be honest."

"So what DID happen, you're leaving out important details," Berri rushed, though Wren grimaced and continued to shy away.

"I don't think you want the details," Wren grimaced harder, though Berri furrowed her brow in tender confusion and shook her head.

"Just tell me what base you guys got to, clearly home base wasn't reached, sooo... I'm going to guess third base was where the play ended?" Berri prod as she began to heat up the kettle of hot water, on their glorious gas stove.

"Yeah," Wren huffed in delight as he bashfully looked down to his hands, and the counter in which he slumped at, "Had I had two more drinks in me, I likely would've been butt-rocked into next Tuesday."

Berri suddenly choked a hard laugh and gave Wren an incredulous look of floored surprise, though she tucked her messy blue hair behind her ears and shook her head amidst their playful laughter.

"Well, I'm happy for you two. Throttle's wonderful, he really compliments you," Berri encouraged with a nod, though Wren cocked an eyebrow and grunted a noise.

"What, he's responsible and I'm not?" Wren blurt, though Berri wasted no time in agreeing via a firm shrug and a small bob of a nod.

"To put it bluntly," Berri chimed, Wren rolled his eyes and looked off, "So, if Throttle asked you to marry him, would you take the Black family name, or would you have Throttle take Fluggerbutter?"

"Oh, I think it'd be cool to take his name," Wren stated plainly, though he side-eyed Berri in cheeky delight and was glad they caught eyes, "That way, when you marry Turbo, we'll all have the same last name. How wild would that be."

"... I'm not marrying Turbo, where the heck did that come from?" Berri staggered in now reversed bashfulness, in a show of a nervous tick, she tucked her hair behind her ears maybe two or three times as she huffed a shaky giggle and removed her whistling kettle from the heat, "B-Besides, Turbo said there's a girl in the game he's interested in. He told me he'd ask her out in a heartbeat, if he could."

"He said that," Wren grunted in dull irritation, and although Berri was certain he was likely talking about her, she continued to play dumb to hopefully get Wren off of the idea.

"Yeah, said she'd likely know every single good date-night spot in town," Berri shrugged, forced nonchalance she was praying would dupe Wren, though she knew better.

"You. Said girl is you, y'dingus," Wren grunted with a hard choke of a laugh, he shook his head and shut his eyes in a tight grimace of annoyance, "Berri, that was a line. Are you BLIND?"

"No, I'm just..." Berri sighed in irritation, she began to pour the hot water over the loose coffee grounds inside her dainty little French press.

"Stubborn," Wren retort, to which Berri sagged her shoulders in defeat and now peered to Wren in tender, sorrowful confusion, "Just... Go on a date with Turbo, what's the harm? It's not like you and Gunner are official. You're allowed to simply date two guys at once... Just, the second that one of them wants to get serious with you, then, well... Dating life is over."

"I can't go on a date with Turbo, he won't go into the city," Berri struggled to get the words out, the very idea of toying with the situation made her heart sore with sorrow, the inevitable rise and fall their spark would likely lead to due to Turbo's refusal to leave the game, let alone his loft.

"Just have dinner in his home, I mean, you love being there," Wren shrugged, though Berri sadly crossed her arms and peered to Wren in mild desperation.

"Wren, I want to go OUT, I want to have a normal relationship, I want to go to the beach, to... Hold hands in the mall, to be greeted at Academy with a hug," Berri shrugged as she listed off the very things Turbo would likely refuse to do, she shook her head and almost dared to let tears sting her eyes, "Turbo wouldn't supply me with ANY of those things... And, although he's, he's..."

"Wonderful," Wren grunted as he gave Berri a now serious look, "Amazing, attentive, romantic, protective, responsible... In love-"

"A GREAT guy," Berri stabbed, she now pierced her dominant gaze into Wren's and was beginning to feel like walling off, to this topic, "It... It wouldn't last long. Wren, we're about to be on all kinds of stages across Academy, with Gunner and Theo. And Turbo wouldn't come to a single show... How would that make me feel? If I was his girlfriend? He just... Wouldn't come to a single show?"

"H-He has his reasons, Bear," Wren defended, he tried his very hardest not to get too heavy handed with it all, though the urge to now go to bat for Turbo, someone who cared so much for Berri, and someone who meant the world to Throttle, was now his top priority.

"It's... It's just too stifling, I wouldn't be able to handle having to tip toe around such an incredible need, you know how extroverted I am," Berri complained, she looked off, and although she could feel her heart just grow heavy at the idea, she desperately tried to somehow have Gunner fill Turbo's shoes, too huge to fully fill, though she wouldn't admit it, "Gunner is willing and able to go anywhere. He came all the way into Sugar Rush and risked his life to go on a date with me, and even asked me out again."

"But, will he treat you the same? I see how you are, around Turbo, I see how delicately Turbo treats your heart," Wren pressed, he knew he was maybe prodding too hard, though he also knew this was their dynamic, "Seeing you with Gunner, it's... It's nothing like when you're with Turbo... I'm sorry if this is much, but, I just... Really want what's best for you, Bear. I can see the guy is head over heels for you."

"I'm not shutting the door on the idea, I just... It's a huge toss up," Berri shook her head and scrunched her eyes shut, "If only Turbo had Gunner's gust... If only Gunner had Turbo's heart."

"You can't have your cake and eat it too," Wren stated, though he cocked an eyebrow and felt the metaphor of what him and Throttle just went through; he knew to keep the notion of them baking a cake, together, quiet. Wren quietly pressed on, as bravely as he could, "Heart is what really matters, in the end, Bear..."

"I'm... So confused. And so stressed out over it," Berri admitted, "It's such a clean divide, it's... Really maddening."

Wren frowned and, for the first time in this conversation, he took note of her faintly glowing stress lines. The huge trauma she had previously gone through, with the deleter creature on the train, really left its mark on her, and although it was said and done with, Wren knew these other little issues were now making mountains out of molehills. Wren heaved a hot sigh through his nose, shook his head and tenderly eyed Berri out of love. He was well aware Turbo would go to the ends of Arcade for her, if asked enough times, he just hoped Berri would have the patience and the stamina to keep asking until Turbo ran out of excuses not to dive head first into a proper give and take. Wren looked down to his hands and softly eased off.

"Those stress lines aren't fading, Bear," Wren worried as he finally looked up at her and sighed, "You gunna have a sit down with your mom and see what you can do about it?"

Berri gently looked to her French press and softly pushed down on the handle, so to properly steep the coffee grinds. She tried not to get defensive here, and although her heart screamed at her to take Turbo's bait and just whisk away into a secretive, protective romance with her best friend, she forced herself to keep it all at bay, for the time being, due to fearing her heart would be broken. Berri gave Wren an honest look, as if to beg Wren not to climb all over her with her next statement.

"I'm going over to Turbo's, tomorrow," Berri concluded tenderly, she humbly looked down and sighed, "He knows how to fix it."

"Well, good... Maybe get this all off your chest, to him," Wren gently instructed, he laid off the playful air, knowing full well just when Berri had had enough, "Berri, the only way you're going to be able to get through all of this is just by TALKING to him. Tell him maybe just why you're not acting on anything, it's clear you two dig each other... You owe him everything weighing on your heart, as does he. He's your best friend, isn't he?"

"Absolutely," Berri assured as big tears welled in her eyes, though Wren gave her a sweet smile and shook his head.

"Just open up to him, have a heart to heart," Wren lovingly pressed, "I think it's about time, Bear. You don't want things to just get confusing, to the point of where you two then start assuming intentions and things get so out of hand, due to overthinking. Just clear the air with him. I promise it'll help."

"... I will," Berri promised with a twinge of nervousness, she nodded and lulled her eyes closed with apprehension, "I don't know how, but... I will."