Reviews :
Nikki Firesong : You're definitely not wrong, there. She's closer to it than you think, though! Fortunately :)
TheDoctorDusty : Hey friend, long time no see. I hope you're well. And, you're definitely not wrong about one of those two people, though she doesn't actively seek them out. More so bumps into them by coincidence. But, good on yah! :D
Song Listened To :
Stick the Kettle On ft. Scouting for Girls by Lucy Spraggan
*Chapter 135*
In the gut-clenching urge to firmly recoil, she halted said movement and dared to press into the beam of sunlight that so warmly splayed over her gorgeous shoulders and collarbones, her vivid blue hair popped in the ease of glinting light. She crossed her arms in nervous contemplation and side-eyed both boys stationed at the hearth. Turbo was dressed in a cream colored long-sleeved shirt, little frays of worn love showed at the cusps of his rolled-up sleeves. His deep, lovely, reverberating voice so softly echoed into the massive hearth as he pointed, his gentle ways of showing Lash around was endearing at the very least. Lash intently listened with his hands lazily in his grey jean pockets; he, too, wore a long sleeved shirt, though his was cleaner, a newer, stiff look about it. Both boys were lost in their own, quiet little world, it was clear Turbo was awaiting the opportunity to show Lash around the palace without the prospects of any of Sugar Rush's racers seeing him.
With the soft and silent press of her now bare feet, Berri approached the island closest to both boys and was a solid dozen or so feet away from them, on the other side of said slab of island. Berri continued to keep her arms crossed, her precious sheet music tucked under her upper arm and the side of her rib cage. Turbo's conversing became clearer as she got closer, and with such, she could hear him warmly explaining how delicious Taffyta's cooking was. Although she knew she shouldn't be, she was shocked to hear a much softer side of Lash, a gentle press of genuine inquiry as he looked about, though in his wandering gaze, he caught with the figure behind both boys and stiffened in a jolt of whirling around. With a gasp, Lash's dimly glowing golden eyes brightened in a spitfire show of surprise, though with such, his pupils narrowed a little, something Berri was absolutely not used to seeing, in either of the TurboTime boys. With such, she felt her stomach clench; he was the reason she was haunted with nightmares as a child, the perfect vision of her nightmares right before her nearly eradicated all of Turbo's hard work.
"O-Oh, Berri," Turbo staggered in surprise as he, too, peered to her in urgent surprise. How poised and still she was, Turbo felt his face get hot in nervousness as to just how long she had been standing there. Lash inhaled a shaky breath and scoot a little closer to his big brother, their height difference was entirely endearing; the tops of both Nox's and Lash's heads only reached the underside of Turbo's jaw. Turbo nervously jolt his vividly glowing eyes to Lash's, they both caught in a whirlwind of concerned anxiety, "I-I was just... Showing Lash around, is all."
"It's all good," Berri eased in a stand-offish manner, she cocked an eyebrow and softly looked Lash over. He nervously fiddled his fingers and seemed apprehensive to be in her presence, having firmly being reminded about their last encounter. Berri felt her heart sink in the sting of remembrance, and although she was still entirely miffed at Lash, she knew she needed to ease off, "Y-make it to the rec. hall yet?"
"Not yet," Turbo eased, he seemed to relax a little, though Lash remained still in terror, "What are you up to, then?"
"Well... I went to go hang out with Gunner, but... We received some bad news," Berri started nervously, to which Turbo furrowed his brow in rising concern, "Pong ducked out of hosting us for our next four shows..."
"Shit, Bear, that's terrible," Turbo huffed in genuine sorrow as he put his hand on his lower chest in a show of defeat, though Berri shrugged and heaved a shaky sigh.
"Yeah, we... We had Dig Dug pick us up, fortunately, but," Berri trailed off and shrugged a little, "Gunner was in a tizzy, and... I decided to leave cause I think I was making matters worse."
"How?" Turbo pressed in rising defense, the urge to rush to her aid; Lash only nervously peered back and forth between Turbo and Berri, their dozen foot gap between the marble slab of a kitchen island.
"I had some sheet music, of my own, that I wanted to discuss with him and I think I just... Made matters worse," Berri shrugged and looked off, though she felt her face get hot as she could practically feel the sheet music, tucked safely under her arm, begin to burn a hole through her dress. She bit her bottom lip in hot regret and was viciously reminded that said sheet music was for Turbo, and not to be revealed, "I-It's... No issue, I just came back home. I need a day to just relax, anyways."
"Well, uh... I would gladly offer you come hang out with us, but..." Turbo nervously tried not to gesture to Lash, who was very clearly listening and observing, and though the creepy look in his eyes, and on his face, was very blatant, Berri eyed him in stubborn curiosity and felt her heart sink at the genuine look of humility in his eyes. Turbo grit his teeth and pressed on in a staggering mess of uncertainty of just who to cater to, "I-I'm... I'm sure it'd be tense, if..."
"N-No, I... I really owe you both an apology," Berri started, she remained in her position, though she knew she owed it to everyone to approach Lash for a handshake of forgiveness, eventually. She nervously looked Lash in the eyes and shook her head, "It... Was immature of me to hit you, like that. I've never gotten physically angry with someone, like that, and I was way out of line... I'm sorry."
Lash raised his eyebrows in poised, boyish, dumbfounded surprise. He urgently looked up at Turbo for guidance and just barely shook his head in a rush of nervous confusion, though after a few moments of anxious silence, Turbo blurt a chuckle and urgently gestured out to Berri as he gave Lash a wide grin of cheeky understanding.
"Yes, YOU, she's talking to you," Turbo rushed with a loving laugh, Berri did everything she could to conceal a grin.
"O-OH, uh, uh..." Lash staggered, he rubbed the back of his head and peered into Berri's eyes, a whole slew of nervous tension between the two only continued to make this transition rocky. He inhaled a trembling breath and looked now to be entirely out of sorts, he shrugged and showed a more reserved act of uncertainty, as if the time to think had made him realize he wasn't as brave as he once thought, "I-It's... Okay, I said some terrible shit, I... Deserved it."
"We didn't start out on the right foot," Berri eased in a bittersweet show of gentle sorrow, though with uplift, she slowly pressed about the island and began to ease into Turbo's and Lash's bubble. Although Turbo's disposition opened up and very easily welcomed Berri's presence, Lash began to visibly shrink. Berri gently outreached her hand to Lash for a handshake, though now matter how softly she presented herself, Lash still largely flinched and looked as if he was becoming a wild animal backed into a corner. Berri heaved a gentle chuckle and peered to him curiously, "My name is Berri."
"For User's sake, man, she's not going to kill you," Turbo muttered with a soft laugh as he gripped Lash's shoulder and stood him to correction; Lash nervously peered into Berri's eyes and held a great amount of caution as he reached for her hand.
"Whiplash," His deep voice eased, his more square jaw line held the promise for housing a wonderful, boyish beam of a grin, though his expression easily harbored said bright potential of love in a show of entire apprehension. In the warm grip, squeeze and shake of Lash's and Berri's hand, he sagged his shoulders in a gentle show of relief and cleared his throat, "Y-You... Can call me Lash. Your highness."
"Just Berri," She quipped with a cheeky smile, to which Turbo largely rolled his eyes and cued to her fervor.
"She doesn't like titles," Turbo muttered in a very playful show of entire annoyance, though as Berri gingerly swat at Turbo's arm, he beamed a loving, playful smile and shook his head at her. Although Turbo had a good look at Berri, he finally allowed himself to secretively gloss her beautiful, curvy figure. The lovely goldenrod dress that showed off a peak of her knees and lower thighs, he held his breath and was only used to seeing her in winter attire, thick jeans and hoodies no matter what. He felt a lump gather in his throat as he desperately tried to get the compliment out of his body, "Y-You... You look great, I like the color of your dress."
"Matches your eyes, Turbo," Lash pressed in a spike of confident fervor he was known for. He cheekily beamed Turbo said wide smile Berri was certain was there somewhere, though he nudged the broad of Turbo's chest in a swat of brotherly love and gestured to Berri. In a blunt show of knowing exactly just what he was doing here, he choked Turbo a continuation of his teasing notions, "This is the woman you wanted to swap codes with, right?"
Berri sharply furrowed her eyebrows and felt her heart surge in a jolt of a thousand feelings, though as she gaped her mouth and huffed a stagger of a breath to urgently carry on, Turbo gripped the back of Lash's neck and sharply grit his teeth down into Lash's eyes. Lash choked a noise of painful protest but managed to let out a loud, excited laugh as Turbo began to slowly torture him in the way of squeezing the skin on the back of his thick neck.
"Hooo, aren't you just the best most incredible little brother I ever could ASK FOR," Turbo sharply pressed through the grit of his teeth, his eyes immediately washed to that of an entirely embarrassed, peachy glow of a blush. Lash blurt a hard laugh and tried to wiggle his way out of Turbo's firm grip.
"I-I'd love some company, now that I think about it," Berri eased with a small, bashful giggle. She eyed Turbo in a spike of now dire curiosity and felt her stomach clench in delight. She shyly tucked her beautiful hair behind her ear and shrugged, "My... My mother filled me in on everything you boys chatted about, pertaining to the deleters and everything in between. Surely there's things to be discussed, there?"
"Yeah, that'd be great," Turbo hurriedly pressed, he prayed that Lash would keep his fat mouth shut after his little quip, though as Berri eyed Turbo in shy cuteness, she could tell he was absolutely riddled with a very warm and cute amount of embarrassment. He straightened his shirt for good measure and nervously glanced in Berri's direction, "Wh-where would you like to go, then?"
"We can go back to your loft, if you'd like," Berri shrugged as she looked over her shoulder, in the direction of the palace's main teleportation pad. She brought her eyes back to Turbo's and nodded, hoping to get past the breeze of delightful awkwardness, "That sound good?"
"Yes, ma'am," Turbo concluded as he cleared his throat and bobbed her a nod of assurance, though Lash beamed him a cheeky smile and waggled his eyebrows the second Berri turned to make her way out of the kitchen. Turbo did everything he could to avoid glossing his eyes all along Berri's figure, which was now turned away from both boys, though he inhaled a shaky breath and stepped to keep up with Berri, a teasing show of leaving Lash entirely behind. He gingerly hovered to Berri's side and looked off in a mild show of trying to recover, "Please, uh... Don't listen to anything this psychopath says. I'm still trying to get him acclimated to the world about him, now. Much like an adorable baby bird."
"Sounds like someone I know well," Berri's sly, womanly voice coat over Turbo's shivering soul in a lace of permanent defeat, a check-mate over Turbo's heart.
"Damn, dude, quit while you're ahead, Jesus," Lash barked a choke of a laugh and sauntered behind the two, though Turbo sagged his shoulders, rolled his eyes and looked off in a spike of now prominent dread.
"It's okay, Bo, I won't think on it for a second," Berri chimed in a gentle switch up, she eyed Lash in cute delight and continued on, "I don't trust the source of which the information came from, anyways. I'm certain it's not true."
"Yeah," Turbo huffed in a show of gentle relief, though he furrowed his eyebrows and suddenly realized he had sank right into Berri's trap. He stiffened his spine and opened his mouth to urgently protest, though as he dart his panicked eyes to Berri's, to hurriedly assure her that he did, indeed, want to swap codes with her, he felt a whole flip flop of confusion go on in his brain. He staggered a nervous noise and carried on in a dopey, agitated fashion, "I-I mean... Well, no, but... Yeah, I-I guess I mean, like... Like-!"
"Dude you're TERRIBLE at this," Lash barked a hard laugh, so contagious that him and Berri easily howled with laughter.
Turbo stiffened his shoulders and urgently peered into the holographic display, a wash of cold embarrassment shroud him in a cloak of inner turmoil, something that now began to rot him from within, though before he could drown in his rapid-fire thoughts, Berri warmly sagged her hand to his clothed upper arm and gave him a loving smile of assurance.
"It's fine, it's no big deal," Berri warmly reassured, her loving eyes peered to his in a hopeful show of cuteness, and as they caught eyes in a string of nervous, bantering understanding, Berri gingerly sagged her finger into Turbo's name, on the glowing, holographic drop down of a menu before the three, carefully crafted into the palace's main teleportation pad.
Although the silence was awkward, for a few moments, the three easily came into Turbo's lovely home, though in going through all of their normal routines, Berri grit her teeth a little and realized that the majority of what Turbo and Berri did was something really only couples took part in. The second Berri unlocked Turbo's front door was the second that both Turbo and Berri grit their teeth harder and understood that they were only setting themselves up for further ridicule, from Lash. On cue, he heaved a snarky laugh and crossed his arms upon the three easing into Turbo's warmly lit kitchen.
"So, Berri, y'have a boyfriend, then I hear?" Lash pressed in a show of very fake innocence, to which Berri softly shot Turbo a nervous look of inquiry; Turbo raised his eyebrows and bashfully looked down, a mildly sorrowful look on his face, simply to express to Berri that he was to be left out of the topic of boyfriends.
"Yes, I do," Berri started confidently, though as the seconds ticked on with both boys' eyes now attentively honed to Berri's figure, she felt confidence slip from her. She heaved a shaky sigh and felt nervous to reveal said information to Turbo, though she lulled her eyes closed in impending regret and wondered if being vulnerable, here, would likely get Lash off of her's and Turbo's case, "We... Well... I probably will be rethinking things, soon, here."
"Aw, not working out?" Lash wondered nonchalantly, and though Berri was sure this would cue more teasing, she was floored to find that Lash was extremely careful with social cues; he peered to Berri in a show of genuine concern, she wondered if the few days that Lash had with Turbo had greatly helped with his anger, greatly helped him see just how harmoniously the world could revolve with everyone working together.
"I-I... I think it's just on my end, it's no big deal," Berri rushed in a slew of now impending nervousness. In a careless act of potentially being too comfortable in Turbo's home, she lazily set her folded sheet music to his island and began to busy herself with her mane of blue hair, she prepared to put it up into a lazy ponytail, "He's... Serious about the music coming in and out of the studio, and I guess... I have way too many ideas that impede on the well-being of the band, and the tour."
"Damn, sounds like the kiddo has a stick up his ass," Lash muttered, he cocked an eyebrow and shot Turbo a look of hot understanding, to which Turbo inhaled a shaky breath and began to busy himself with some dishes in his sink, as if to act disinterested, "You mean you have music you'd like to play? Stuff you created? Turbo filled me in on how all of this drama works, so... I'm still trying to get just what's going on, I'm well aware you're in a pretty popular band and are currently on tour."
"Yeah, so... I probably shouldn't be bringing up new music to talk about," Berri stated through a nervous smile of sheepishness, she crossed her arms and looked off in mild regret for even bringing anything up; Lash cocked an eyebrow and just barely glanced in Turbo's direction, knowing full well this was a hot topic, he tread lightly.
"How long have you and Gunner been together, then?" Lash nonchalantly wondered, he hoped to convey to Berri that he was simply creating small talk, though Turbo grit his teeth and glowered down the beautiful grey back splash of his kitchen sink.
"A few months now, we've been touring for about a month," Berri rattled gently, she heaved a soft sigh and eased Lash a small, stand-offish smile, as if to assure to him that this was getting awkward; Lash, although sharp with social cues, blatantly ignored Berri's silent request and eased back in the croak of the red bar stool he sat on.
"So, all you guys are a musical bunch but Mr. Hot Shot is the only one who can create music, then?" Lash barked, he trailed off in soft laughter as Turbo turned the water on a little harder, creating a bit more noise. Lash shook his head, and although both him and Berri weren't totally on even ground with each other, and Lash had little to no romantic experience with anyone, Lash raised his eyebrows and looked down with a widening, humble smile. Although Turbo's younger brother, he eked more of a vibe that Throttle often gave off, a tired, grouchy, grandfatherly disposition very quickly rose to the surface of Lash's seemingly calm aura, "Look, my dear, I have no experience when it comes to this huge, crazy thing we call life, but I do know that any one of my brothers can tell you that I am likely the sharpest knife in the drawer. How do you think I was able to accomplish all that I did, inside and outside of Sugar Rush? This whole game was mine, and there was little to nothing that ANY of you could do about it."
Berri kept her mouth shut and peered hard into Lash's eyes, however nightmarish they were, she held her breath and felt a pin-prickle show of worry now coat her trembling soul. Berri felt thwarted, for she knew that Lash wasn't on the topic of Sugar Rush, or anything that happened in the past. So slyly sneaking into the cracks of concrete that Berri desperately tried to seal permanently with cement, she sagged her shoulders and knew exactly where this conversation was going. Lash crossed his arms, cocked an eyebrow, cleared his throat within a small, grumbling chuckle and gave her an apologetic smile. Although not trying to be obvious, he longingly glanced in Turbo's direction, to which Berri hesitantly followed Lash's line of sight. She heaved a silent, shaky breath through her nose and could feel her world begin to quickly come crumbling down around her, Berri's own form of an Achilles heel that Lash so easily pinpointed, having been so far removed. Lash finally brought his creepy yet wise and strangely becoming gaze tight to Berri's shivering orbs.
"Listen, babe, you gotta do what you gotta do, but... I can tell you're becoming bent up about this," Lash grumbled, Berri caved and looked down in gentle defeat, though she stiffened and felt a strange sensation to urgently fight Lash's words; she knew it'd be futile, everything anyone had been telling her, anything she had been telling herself, was very quickly coming to a head with the sneakiest TurboTime guy around. Lash cocked an eyebrow and tilted his head in Turbo's direction for emphasis, though Turbo had urgently buried his attention into the dishes in his own sink, "I think it weird to wrap yourself up with someone who doesn't even see what potential there could be. I've come upon closed doors in my life, love, and... I can tell you from experience, barreling them down does more harm than good. You know how that goes."
Berri bobbed a nod and began to feel exposed, and in a swift, proverbial motion of throwing up every and all walls, she gently crossed her arms and looked across Turbo's lovely, inviting loft with the onset of the potential for billowing tears. She stiffened her upper lip and could feel Lash already beginning to choreograph his own victory dance, how easy it was for him to so sneakily read between the lines, how easy it was for him to pinpoint the entire, glaringly huge problem in Berri's life and easily supply her with a solution, she felt almost blindsided. Certain that things were due to come to a head sometime soon, she bit her lip and looked back to Turbo's door, eager to now escape and be alone for the day. Although the raw exposure was something that would help her grow, she felt her heart begin to ache in anxiety at the sheer thought of somehow worming her way out of Gunner's arms right in the middle of their tour. She heaved a shaky sigh and bobbed a nod of gentle defeat, and before she could properly bow out, she elegantly allowed Lash this victory with a bout of humility she had to practically claw from the depths of her being.
"We all make mistakes, and... I'll have to answer for mine eventually," Berri's gentle voice glossed the kitchen, and with such words, Turbo raised his eyebrows and halted his cleaning in the sink; with a soft gloss of his glowing, golden eyes over his shoulder, him and Berri held eyes in a string of bittersweet and sorrowful understanding, and before Turbo could unstick the cogs in his brain, Berri gave Lash a small, humble, defeated smile and began to slowly back-step towards Turbo's front door, "It... Was nice hanging with you guys, for a little bit, but... I have some work to do, at home. Thank you."
Lash sagged his shoulders and was well aware he struck a nerve, though as Berri gingerly saw herself out, Lash finally dragged his eyes to Turbo's in a string of near-apologetic cheek. Turbo urgently glowered him down in whole entire defeated irritation, though just as Lash beamed him a sheepish look and opened his mouth, Turbo urgently shook his head and now vigorously began to clean his dishes.
"No. NO, dude. No," Turbo barked suddenly down to the soapy water his hands and lower arms were drowning in. He continued to now angrily clean, "You're not allowed to socialize with my friends, anymore, you're BALLS terrible at it, for USER'S SAKE!"
"WHAT!" Lash whined in a boyish slop of drawling his words on, "I'm helping you out, here."
"You're only making her feel bad, Lash, that's not my intention," Turbo firmly argued, he urgently stopped what he was doing and gestured to his closed door with whole fervor, soapy water speckled his matte grey tiles, "I'm not trying to be forceful with her, I'm LETTING her live her life and do what she wants, okay?"
"I'm no master at romance, I guess you... You CLEARLY have it under control," Lash barked in now rising irritation, though Turbo firmly glowered Lash down and began to see the bridge of his nose kiss his skin a twinge of an angry orange.
"I DID have it under control until you blatantly made clear to her that I wanted to have sex with her," Turbo firmly argued with a hard point to his front door, once more, "Not only that, but probably made her feel like bullshit for her own decisions in life. I've NEVER seen her bow out of an argument THAT fast, dude, I hope you're ready to be bubbled for the night, because I'm done with you, right now."
"Hey, I did you a FAVOR," Lash choked in now smiling irritation, to which Turbo felt as if he suddenly had grown ten feet tall.
"How the HELL is THIS doing me a FAVOR," Turbo sharply bellowed, though Lash urgently pointed to the end of the island and beamed a sneaky, excited smile.
"Look what she left," Lash hissed in delight, and as both boys quickly peered to the end of the counter, in which Berri was previously standing, they both froze and took note that Berri had accidentally forgotten to take her precious sheet music with her.
