Reviews :
Raven : I guess my foreshadowing is apparent :D yay.
Nikki Firesong : hoooo no one has a single clue what is exactly is going to hit them and I'm literally here for it :'D
Song Listened To :
First Time by Kygo and Ellie Goulding
*Chapter 109*
"Whoa, did Zed bring you Sugarbucks or something?" Nox wondered with a hefty, bewildered chuckle.
Nox and Throttle were comfortably lounged in his quiet abode, the sun had set hours ago, and although the universe was warming from Sugar Rush's deathly winter, nighttime still held a frosty bite. Turbo raised his eyebrows in sweet delight as Throttle let him into his dim foyer, the cast of their glowing eyes made Sugar Rush sing in newness. As Turbo closed the door behind him, he cocked an eyebrow and softly glanced down at the sturdy drink holder of three coffees he had acquired, all by his lonesome; a brave task for someone like Turbo.
"No? I got these myself," Turbo eased in smiling, defensive bashfulness, it was here did he remember that really only Berri, Wren and Theo were aware of Turbo's escapades into public places, as of late.
"You like..." Nox gestured his hands in whole confusion as him and Throttle softened, their gazes to Turbo were frozen in delighted confusion as Turbo hovered before them with the three drinks. Nox huffed a staggered chuckle, shook his head and lulled his golden eyes closed, "Wait, I-I'm... I don't understand, did you hire a runner or something?"
"No, I'm not THAT much of an asshole," Turbo blurt a tender laugh and now figured he'd worm about his two brothers and find his way to Throttle's lovely kitchen. Upon getting there, with his two brothers in tow, he cocked an eyebrow and was suddenly floored to see a shirt lazily folded on Throttle's glossy, lightly messy kitchen island. This was a shirt Turbo knew well, because it belonged to Wren, one that Wren wore often. Turbo carefully set down the drink carrier, cocked an eyebrow harder, picked up the shirt with delicacy and lofted his grinning, bewildered gaze to his older brother, "Oh. True."
"I-I was sort of wondering why that was here," Nox staggered in curious chuckling as Nox rounded the other end of the island, though a very hearty blush immediately splayed Throttle's already pale face.
"That's Wren's," Throttle tried to seem nonchalant, but easily failed. He shrugged and peered to Turbo in tender nervousness, "What's the problem?"
"No, no problem at all," Turbo chimed in bewildered delight as he refolded Wren's shirt and tenderly laid it back to the island. He held his masculine hand to the soft, loved fabric and eyed Throttle in soft, boyish knowing, "That's nice, Tee, you, uh... You and Wren finally got good?"
"There's no way out of it, dude, just fess up," Nox mumbled, Throttle looked off in shy stiffness as he anxiously tidied his already tidy shirt.
"Yeah," Throttle snipped nervously, though Turbo eased a further elated, broadening smile and held his curious eyes to his older brother.
"Ease up, dude, we think it's great," Turbo pressed sweetly, "Wren's a good guy. You both are lucky to have each other."
"W-we're not official, or anything," Throttle shrugged, he looked delightfully out of sorts as he continued to tidy any single inch of potentially wrinkled fabric he could get his fingers on. He heaved a shaky sigh and peered to Wren's shirt in regret, the fact that he forgot to put it away, "H-He just... I-I don't know-"
"Friends with benefits?" Nox eased lazily as he eyed the drink carrier Turbo hovered near, though with Nox's words, he froze in unadulterated terror and felt his heart immediate jolt at the idea of his and Berri's newfound, secret bout of romance.
"Guess you could say that," Throttle huffed with a nervous smile, he shook his head and lulled his eyes closed, "I've... Been meaning to do something about it, though."
"Yeah, friends with benefits is only fun for like two months, and then it just sucks," Nox mumbled, as if he had potential, secret experience here, back in his EZ Living days.
"...It does?" Turbo bravely wondered, he nervously peered to Nox and desperately tried to wipe the assuming look from his eye, he was grateful that Nox breezed past it.
"Well, yeah, the girl is committed to someone else. Fun nights of making out, and then not worrying about commitment, turns into eventually wanting more. Stuff the other person can't give," Throttle bravely interjected, due to his past experiences, he shrugged and gave Turbo a gentle, unassuming look of tender advice, "It's like a trail period for easy-going fun, but then you realize the free trail is something you'd gladly commit to..."
"But then can't cause there's another equally as committed dude in the way," Nox flagged his hand and breezed past the topic, not knowing it actually pertained to Turbo, here, "What'd you bring? Mr. Goes-out-in-public-without-telling-anyone."
"Yeah, what's up with that?" Throttle crossed his arms and blurt a gentle laugh.
"Nox, I got you a drink with your name all over it," Turbo disregarded his brothers and shook his head, though he picked up Nox's iced drink and gave him a knowing smile, "This is a nitro cold brew... Black."
"A nitro black for a Mr. Nitro Black," Throttle raised his eyebrows in cuteness and blurt a chuckle, "That's so ironic."
"Isn't cold brew like insanely strong?" Nox wondered with wide, boyish eyes of delight as Turbo kindly handed his littlest brother said yummy, frothy drink, "Oooo I'm not sleeping tonight. Someone warn Koko."
"I'm going to take a wild guess as to what you got me," Throttle wondered with a gentle smile as Turbo picked up one of the other drinks, which was in a hot cup.
"An herbal peach tea," Turbo mumbled kindly, though Nox wildly furrowed his eyebrows and blurt a teasing laugh.
"What a wuss," Nox muttered, both Throttle and Turbo blurt into hard laughter.
"I don't care what you call me," Throttle mumbled in a cocky way, a confident smile plastered his face, Turbo cocked an eyebrow and lofted Nox a knowing look.
"It's because he got laid, you can't pick on him anymore, he's immune to your bullshit," Turbo mumbled.
"We haven't had sex, stop," Throttle defended in mild annoyance, though the hard blush on his face assured Turbo and Nox that they should maybe quickly cut the teasing.
"Yet," Nox obnoxiously waggled his eyebrows, though he easily gestured his hand to Turbo and shrugged, "Whatever, I can tease Turbo, then."
"I've had sex before," Turbo muttered as he eyed Nox in nonchalant challenge, he pried his drink from the sturdy drink carrier and took said carrier to Throttle's trash, to throw away. In the process, he eased off his cozy coat and rested it on the counter across from Throttle's island, "Does last year's battle ring a bell? Trapped with Libby's coding? Nearly ruined everyone's lives for good?"
"Fun times," Throttle sighed wistfully a sarcastic notion that had all boys chuckling, he nonchalantly sipped his tea in contentment.
"Well, you have your original coding, now," Nox grasped at straws, to which Turbo gestured to Throttle.
"So does Throttle, just quit while you're ahead, dude," Turbo blurt a laugh, the strange urge to be protective and defensive felt odd. Somehow, his secret relations, with Berri, also had him on edge, an edge he was certain wouldn't ever come to find him.
"What drink did you get?" Throttle prod, "I bought your favorite cigars. Figured we'd have drinks and a smoke on the porch."
"Oh, awesome, thanks," Turbo bobbed a nod and felt solace in his brother's house, he smiled down to his drink and suddenly felt that reserved, on-edge feeling rush his veins, once more, "I-I... Well, I usually get just a plain coffee or americano, but... B-Berri suggested I try this."
"The Queen at pushing people outside their comfort zones for the greater good," Throttle chimed as he raised his glass, as if to cheers for Berri's sweet success, here, "So, what'd she suggest you try, then?"
"It's just a white mocha," Turbo mumbled gently before he took a sip, though he grimaced a little and wrinkled his nose, "O-Oh wow, it's really sweet. Good, but sweet."
"Like her," Nox shrugged nonchalantly, he also sipped his coffee, "Thanks for this. I'm sure going all the way into the city, and in public, wasn't easy."
"It's... No biggie, I love going to Sugarbucks," Turbo nodded softly, though with this reveal of information to his brothers, he quickly realized that maybe he hadn't caught them up to speed in awhile.
"...Since WHEN?" Throttle suddenly choked with a very confused look of further bewilderment, something Nox easily fell into, as well.
"It's been awhile since we've hung out, huh," Turbo mumbled as he softly peered down to the rim of his cup, he heaved a shaky sigh and shrugged a little, "Berri went with me, alongside Wren and Theo. It... Was invigorating. It's been nice."
"...Wow, wait, you mean... Berri helped you get in public?" Nox wondered with a small laugh, he eyed Throttle and gestured his hand out, "Maybe she can get him to leave the User-damned game, as well."
"I'm not leaving Sugar Rush, you know that," Turbo muttered as he brought his frothy, sweet drink to his lips, though Throttle largely rolled his eyes and ran out of pity for Turbo, here.
"If Berri asked you to, you would," Throttle stated firmly, though Turbo looked off and began to wall off for fear of his brothers finding out about him and Berri.
"She already has, and my answer was no," Turbo mumbled, though Nox cocked an eyebrow and brought his own drink to his lips in full sass.
"And then she went and found another guy to date," Nox daringly muttered as he went to take a sip of his drink, "But that's none of my business."
Turbo heaved a hot sigh through his nose and felt thwarted. Not because of the brotherly teasing they were wonderful at, though with the solid fact that Nox was right. He lulled his eyes closed and felt pain course him, the very words Berri warned about yesterday, the very idea that these relations would eventually hurt the both of them, he re-opened his eyes and felt the bittersweet sting of deeming it all worthy, anyways. He looked down to Throttle's island in aimless defeat, though due to Turbo not retorting like he usually would, Nox and Throttle were well aware this was not territory to tease in. They nervously glanced to each other, Throttle shot Nox an authoritative look of brotherly dominance, as if to swiftly tell Nox to knock it off. Nox heaved a shaky breath and peered his apologetic eyes to Turbo.
"Sorry, Bo," Nox mumbled nervously, "That was mean."
"No, no," Turbo stated through a revived sigh and a soft, sorrowful bob of a nod, "You're not wrong. That's why I didn't argue you."
"S-surely you can..." Throttle shrugged, they all tread into the territory Turbo was scared said conversation would drift, though he knew he'd had to bravely stand his ground, "Maybe... Get Berri in your corner, if you will?"
Turbo remained silent and peered down to his drink in whole bashfulness. He was well aware that he was damned if he did and damned if he didn't, any amount of talking would give himself away, alongside the way both his brothers read between the lines of his silence, he figured keeping mysterious about it all was likely wiser than coming out with it all. Although Turbo wondered if he was a master at smoke and mirrors, he immediately felt thwarted with the way Throttle heaved a satisfied chuckle and looked down to his bare feet in soft knowing.
"...Something tells me you already have, then?" Throttle pressed warmly, to which Nox froze alongside Turbo's silence, a deafening answer to Throttle's tender question.
"W-wait a second," Nox staggered with a small, curious smile, "Y-You and Berri...?"
"Her and Gunner hit a few bumps in the road, and she confided in me," Turbo's masculine voice eased to his brothers in nervousness, "I... I told her that if she ever needed a shoulder, I'd be here for her."
"A shoulder," Nox scoffed with a happy, sneaky smile in Turbo's direction; they caught eyes, "Code for... Pants-off dance-off."
"She cheated on Gunner? With you?" Throttle wondered in whole bewilderment, to which Turbo looked off and cleared his throat.
"I need you both to understand that if this conversation leaves this kitchen, I will murder the both of you," Turbo warned, although it was playful, he stabbed his serious eye contact to the both; they shaped up in nervousness and nodded in shaky unison as Turbo pressed on, "I gave her my word."
"Sounds like you potentially gave her something else?" Nox quietly wondered, he wanted to be playful so badly, though he heavily reserved himself for the sake of Turbo's very fragile feelings, here.
"Nox," Throttle muttered on cue, as if to ask him to reel it in, though Turbo heaved a soft chuckle and bobbed a nod of nervous agreeing.
"Her first kiss," Turbo staggered in terror, though he smiled in whole shyness, "I-I... I didn't mean to, I could've sworn she had already kissed Gunner, or something."
"Oh, wow, well then," Throttle blurt a chuckle and shook his head, "Guess you're well on your way to getting her on team Black anyways."
"Goin' around stealing girls' innocence, like that," Nox muttered as he eyed Turbo in playful, teasing shame, "Tsk, tsk, tsk."
"I didn't steal her virginity," Turbo blurt in defensive annoyance, to which Nox obnoxiously waggled his eyebrows with a widening, toothy grin of whole delight.
"YET," Nox stabbed, Throttle now couldn't help but burst out in gentle laughter, Turbo eagerly rolled his eyes and felt his face burn up.
"I surprised her with a kiss and she revealed it was her first," Turbo rushed with a small laugh as they all fell into easiness, "I-I don't know, I couldn't help myself."
"So now you're just a side guy? She runs off with Gunner and goes on magical adventures, and then what?" Nox shrugged, Throttle eyed Nox in gentle delight and tipped his cup in Turbo's direction.
"She comes back to Sugar Rush for something sweet," Throttle chimed, to which Turbo heaved a hefty sigh of nervousness, "Makes clear sense to me. C'mon... The Black brothers are irresistible. This much is clear, here. Koko was ALL over you, the first time you two met."
"Yeah, and now you and Wren?" Nox volleyed, though they peered their gentle eyes to Turbo as Nox carried on, "Berri's been intrigued with you since that one time she barreled down your door and demanded answers from your convoluted past."
"...That whole friends with benefits talk probably triggered you, didn't it," Throttle wondered nervously, to which Turbo felt his heart ache in whole nervousness. Throttle shook his head and narrowed his gaze in worried uncertainty, "Turbo, you've... You've really got to take care of yourself, here. You've set yourself up for failure..."
"I know," Turbo mumbled in whole sorrow, though he shook his head and lulled his eyes closed, "I'd... Do anything."
"But, you're in love with her," Nox prod in seriousness, he frowned to his big brother and shook his head, "This won't end well, dude..."
"Something tells me this won't be for not, though," Throttle smiled, he side eyed Turbo in softness, "I've seen the way she looks at you. She loves you..."
"If it weren't for yesterday, I'd probably not believe you, but..." Turbo shook his head and eased a nostalgic smile, "I've heard you guys say that before, and I didn't understand it until I saw it for myself... I've seen that very look with my own eyes."
"There's just... Another guy in the way," Nox worried, Throttle sighed in annoyance.
"If you call a 'shiny rockstar of a hunk' just 'another guy'," Throttle mumbled, not to degrade Turbo's worth.
"Well, what will it take, then?" Nox urgently demanded to Turbo, he gestured out and almost desperately peered to Turbo, "What will it take for her to rocket herself into your corner, for good?"
"Leaving the game," Throttle concluded.
"Getting in Gunner's face," Turbo muttered darkly, he shook his head and grit his teeth in tender anger, "I heard the things he was telling Berri, yesterday, when he called... Said he was nervous that Berri was alone with me."
"... Are you serious?" Throttle staggered in a now rise of tender anger, Nox darted his eyes between his brothers and equally grew surprised.
"You wouldn't hurt Berri," Nox wildly complained, though Turbo shook his head and peered his apologetic, nervous eye contact into Nox's.
"I wouldn't hurt ANYONE," Turbo pleaded, though Throttle crossed his arms and gave Turbo a coy look of knowing.
"... Sans Gunner," Throttle mumbled, though Turbo rolled his eyes, looked off and kept his mouth shut, a physical show of answering Throttle's inquiry. Throttle sighed a chuckle and shook his head, "I don't know, dude... I'd say jumping in Gunner's face and being forceful might not be wise."
"Just bide your time, ride the wave," Nox shrugged, "Just... Keep doing what you're doing. She'll realize she has it better, with you, eventually."
"But she doesn't," Turbo worried, though before Nox and Throttle could protest, he urgently carried on, "She wants me to leave the game, to live a normal life."
"Then LEAVE the GAME," Nox demanded with a small, annoyed laugh, though much to everyone's surprise, Turbo didn't immediately protest.
"It's honestly not so scary," Throttle eased as he shook his head, "I was nervous, once upon a time. Everyone leaves us well enough alone."
"Most games plugged in, anyways, weren't even around during that whole fiasco with Turbotime," Nox assured, though Turbo sighed and shut his eyes in mild regret.
"I wish Turbotime was still plugged in," Turbo complained tenderly.
"Turbotime isn't going to solve your problems, but... You already know that," Throttle thwarted with a gentle, cheeky smile, "Even if Litwak HAS Turbotime in his backroom, it wouldn't change how Berri feels about all of this. You'd just find another game to hide out in."
"It'd be my home game," Turbo lazily protested, though Throttle shook his head.
"This is your home game, now," Throttle eased in uplift, "We have to move on from the past, Turbo... It's clear your en-route to doing so."
"With Berri tight at your side," Nox shrugged, "I don't know... Ride it out, see what happens. You might be delightfully surprised."
"... Guess I have been, thusfar," Turbo muttered as he set his half-empty drink on the island's counter, "I... I never thought I'd ever feel love like that, ever."
"It's a powerful thing," Nox mumbled in understanding as he bugged his golden eyes.
"It'll make you do the craziest things," Throttle gave Turbo a knowing smile, "Things you never thought you'd see yourself doing..."
"Yeah," Turbo nearly agreed, as if to potentially placate his brothers, though they had to wonder if Turbo's words had deeper meaning, "We'll see..."
