Reviews :

Snake557 : Heeeheee... Y'all don't even know.

faolan1230 : Yeahhhhhh trust me, it's a rude awakening for everyone involved lmao. T'is not pretty! I can hardly wait.

Nikki Firesong : Yyyep, Gunner's digging himself a grave at this point. It's fine LOL. And, it's no worries! That's so sweet of you to say that. Libby could've reemed him for sure. He previously wasn't the best boyfriend ever, so it definitely was nice of Libby to go easy. Turbo gets put in the hot seat when he meets with Ralph and Zed tho so Libby's probably like ehhh... I'll go easy on you, cause you're about to feel pain shortly haha.

Burgie : Yep :( Poor girl's about to hit a breaking point.

AppleHomeRepairs : Nope, my husband is the only person that gets chapters before release. I write and edit this for fun. I realize I probably miss some things but I'm not pressed about it. Thank you, tho!


Song Listened To :

Riding the Wind ft. Rachel Mellis by Gareth Coker


*Chapter 153*

"You think it should start in minor and then eventually draw into major tones?" Berri's voice fell short due to the sound proofing inside her own little humble studio, right inside her tower on palace grounds. Her and Turbo sat inside the dregs of this lovely, warm, rainy Sunday evening, clad in comfortable sweats and t-shirts, the both of them held fast to their favorite acoustic guitars. Berri gingerly strummed a chord and curiously peered into Turbo's glowing, expecting eye contact. He bobbed a nod and shrugged, he grunted to lean over and gently fix the capo on the neck of Berri's acoustic guitar.

"Try it in A minor first," Turbo's deep voice so quietly glossed Berri's bare arm as they sat close, though she was up on a bit of a taller stool. Berri furrowed her eyebrows and strummed the gentle, sweet few chords of the tender beginning of a song they dared to create together, "Yeah, that's perfect. That little tune intro, you start us out and I come in later. Yeah?"

"Cool... Now to add words," Berri mumbled in smiling dread, though both beings gently flinched in surprise the second the oven, from down the studio's open-aired little corridor, and across the main room of their lovely abode, began to chime in a countdown; Turbo bobbed a nod, shrugged and cutely strummed said chords they were just discussing.

"The browwwwnies," He pressed in a drawl of depth as he lulled his eyes closed and pretended to give his notion depth and heart. Berri blurt a hard laugh, to which Turbo finally beamed and eased a chuckle as well, the two quickly garnered motion and cautiously rested their guitars on their stands.

"Yay," Berri meeped as she stood and stretched her arms a bit, "I want all the corner pieces."

"... I'm sorry, what?" Turbo choked in a furrowed look of whole tease, his hard, smiling glower now dug into the top of Berri's head as she cutely scrunched her shoulders and began to tip-toe past her foe of a boyfriend. He huffed a chuckle and began to quickly keep in tow with her, though she began to nervously giggle and walk just a little faster through the studio's corridor, her bare feet slapped to the tiles underneath. Turbo waggled his finger and allowed his eyes to gloss to the opening of the other end of the corridor as they came into the lovely main room of Berri's tower, a massive room with a peaked ceiling with one half entirely glass, dim house lights that soaked the cozy furniture with love, Turbo heaved a content sigh and lulled his eyes closed in the revisit of cheeky irritation, "You are such a freak. Everyone knows the center pieces are the BEST."

"I'm wondering why you're complaining," Berri mumbled in cheeky cuteness, though she raised her eyebrows in sweet surprise the second she saw Theo's taller figure recoil from a hunched position inside of the opened fridge. He raised his eyebrows in curiousness as Berri came sliding into the kitchen, "THEO tell him that the corner pieces, of the brownies, are the best."

"Oh, no, the center is the best, I'm not an idiot," Theo uttered with clear certainty as he shut the fridge and laid a hand to his chest, to which Turbo narrowed his eyes and warmly eased into Theo's bigger presence. With emphasis, Turbo lovingly hovered his hand to the back of Theo's shoulder and gave him a brotherly jostle.

"Thank. You." Turbo huffed quietly to which Theo and Turbo now diverted their cute attention to their princess; Berri largely rolled her eyes, grabbed an oven mit and began to open the oven in preparation to take out the delicious cinnamon sugar brownies her and Turbo prepared.

"Whatever, more for me," Berri muttered, to which Theo shrugged and looked off.

"Look, the center is gooey and delicious and soft," Turbo pressed with fervor as he sagged into Berri's presence, and although he lovingly rested his hand to Berri's lower back and pointed down into the steamy tray of unimaginably delicious brownies, Berri froze and peered hard into the tray, where Turbo's finger was pointing, "You REALLY would choose the crusty edges over the gooey center?"

"Yes! It's the perfect mixture of chewy and gooey, c'mon," Berri argued with a small giggle, "I really don't know why you're trying to change my mind. In my opinion, you should be GRATEFUL you chose me as your girlfriend, because now... We won't ever fight about who gets the center pieces, or who gets the edges."

Theo raised his eyebrows and softly began to step away in cute defeat, to which Turbo's soft, prickled silence spoke a million words. Berri's adorable little face peered up into Turbo's glowing orbs with victory, to which she scrunched her shoulders, huffed a girly giggle and began to carefully cut the brownies into smaller squares, so they could pick on it for the rest of the night. Turbo bobbed a small nod, shrugged and watched as Berri skillfully sliced the mass of brownies into easy bites, he finally rolled his eyes, lulled them shut and crowned a loving, defeated smile.

"Yeah, she won," Theo mumbled in cute irritation, to which Turbo inhaled a long, deep breath through his nose.

"I chose well," Turbo mumbled warmly as he leaned into Berri for a small side hug, as she continued to cut, he exhaled said breath into the top of her head as he planted a few kisses into the side of her head and lovely smelling, clean, blue hair.

Berri smiled down into her chore and muscled her way through cutting the brownies, though she felt her face get hot at the feel of Turbo's broad, masculine hand lovingly gripped in the small of her back. Relishing in the feel of his fingertips on her body, she inhaled a huff of a breath as his touch soon lifted and was gone. She bit her lip in what looked to be concentration, though she felt as if ever since her and Turbo had gotten together, he had been easing just enough physical contact her way to just barely satiate her. In these fleeting moments of being in public, or not necessarily being alone, she understood the notion, though, outside of their lounging nap taken the day prior, she felt as if she was teasingly fighting to ease deeper into his touch, for longer. As if he had set this upon her, to crave his skin, to constantly be on the lookout, a mature approach at delving into the stickier, more intimate aspects of their romance. Turbo kindly struck up a conversation with Theo, leaving Berri at the stove with her teeth nervously clenched in secretive plotting.

"So, Berri told me a little bit about your guys' meeting with Gunner," Turbo started warmly as Theo eased around the bend of the counter, out of the kitchen. Theo plopped down at the cozy bench, in which lined the entirety of the slanted glass wall they were housed underneath. He rested his larger arms on the counter's bend, which connected to said long sitting area. He rolled the sleeves of his cozy, faded grey hoodie, rubbed his eye in sleepiness and bobbed a small nod, though before he could continue, Turbo sagged his hands to the counter, shifted on his feet in a lean and gave Theo a worried smile, "I guess he took it all well, but... I don't know, something inside me is certain that guy is going to snap."

"He... Has the tendency, I mean Berri can tell you all about it," Theo mumbled, though Turbo sharply furrowed his eyebrows and stabbed his eyes to the back of Berri's head; she urgently peered over her shoulder, into Theo's and Turbo's direction.

"H-He does, but more so towards staff members," Berri rushed, she could feel the heated embers of Turbo's gaze begin to threaten protective anger, "He's slow to anger at US, unless something detrimental happens, but... Man, he'll fire just about ANYONE."

"It really... Makes me wonder about Sama," Theo started carefully, he tried to seem nonchalant, though as Berri brought the tray of cut up brownies to the main bend of the island, where Turbo and Theo were positioned across from each other, Berri came to Turbo's side and offered him one of the center pieces. With a kind notion of gratitude, down to her, Berri then offered Theo a piece. The three happily munched, though Theo continued on with his mouth slightly full, "I've seen interviews with that girl... I've watched that girl play and interact with her other band members. I just... Can't imagine her doing something so heinous as to cheat on Gunner and bail out."

"You never really know someone until..." Berri trailed off and gently shrugged, though she chewed and finally peered her curious attention deep into Theo's eyes. She halted her sharp opinions and began to tread lightly. She knew, out of anyone she toured with, Theo was the one to show the sharpest intuition, the guru of reading energies and being right every single time, as if his coding had a sixth sense lobbed into it, as if he could read people's intentions right on their sleeve. Berri allowed herself to wholly soften and tuned in to Theo's shivering opinions, something so fragile as to include his celebrity crush. As easy as it potentially would be for Theo to be biased towards the woman of his own liking, Berri knew Theo to be fair and true. Berri furrowed her brow and allowed her wall to come down, something Theo's intelligent, brilliant emerald eyes hooked to in sharp understanding, "Teddy, you... You seem to be holding fast to Sama. Is there a reason? Other than, well, you're hardcore crushing?"

"Boy, am I," Theo huffed a bashful chuckle and looked down to his hands, though he furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head, "I know meeting her would be impossible, though. I just... Get this feeling that maybe she was wronged. You see Gunner's track record. It just... All seems fishy. I wonder if she was booted."

"You don't think she cheated on Gunner?" Turbo wondered tenderly, to which Theo heaved a shaky sigh and shrugged his large shoulders, his wrecking hands opened in softness as he peered into his palms aimlessly.

"Well... You heard Bedgy, yesterday. Sama and Gunner were off and on for two years," Theo stated gently, his deep voice coat Berri and Turbo with a shred of new understanding, something the two lay vulnerable in, "If Sama WANTED to run away with another man, methinks she would've just broken it off with Gunner, like they had been doing."

"Press stated she cheated on Gunner with the drummer, Rye," Berri wondered nervously, to which Theo lulled his eyes closed and shook his head.

"I did research... Rye and Sama are distant cousins, they lived together," Theo gently thwarted, to which Berri raised her eyebrows in soft surprise, "That's why press had a hay-day. The two were never caught hanging out with just each other, outside of the band. So, when they caught Sama and Rye going home together, well..."

"Of course the media is going to run with that," Turbo muttered, he shook his head and eyed Berri, "They'll chalk up ANY story and make it seem huger and scarier than it is. You remember that one day you wore my hoodie to Academy and paparazzi gotcha?"

"Hooo man, Gunner was SO pissed," Theo choked a small laugh, held his forehead and shook his head; Berri rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

"I remember," Berri muttered, "I groveled for days. I had to pretend that my father's right hand man left his hoodie at the palace on accident, long ago, and I just commandeered it."

"I think the media has made that poor guy super insecure," Turbo mumbled in sorrowful understanding, "Now you see why I don't leave..."

"... No, I DON'T see why you don't leave," Berri stabbed in rising irritation as she dug a gentle glower into Turbo's becoming-dimmer eyes; he shut his mouth and looked down, as if to quietly convey he entirely regretted bringing up the topic, though he was grateful Theo carried the conversation elsewhere.

"I... Have a question, for both of you," Theo stated tenderly, and it was here did Turbo and Berri drop the very beginning sparks of feuding and hone their gently surprised attention tight to Theo's serious disposition, an air he didn't radiate often, "I-I guess it's... More a question for Berri, but... How did you work up the courage to actually pursue Turbo like you did? Like, before you knew him at all?"

Berri raised her eyebrows, sagged her shoulders and gently looked up and into Turbo's eyes. As they caught gazes, softened with the return of his confident, golden glow, he gave her a warm, small, expectant smile and so patiently waited for her answer, as if to cutely wonder just how she'd reply here. Berri, with her arms crossed, inhaled a deep breath and aimlessly let her eyes gloss Turbo's chest, collar and shoulders in the sink of deep thought. She long blinked in cute pondering and finally eased a soft shrug, her bare shoulders wormed the straps of her thin tank top.

"I think my desire for getting answer overrode my nervousness," Berri pressed softly, she felt her face heat up as she gave Theo her confident stare, though she now diligently avoided eye contact with Turbo, "I... Had a HUGE crush on Turbo, though, so it was definitely difficult. I think I just got so fed up with him bobbing and weaving through castle meetings, I could HARDLY say two words to the guy before he ran off. I finally got so frustrated that I invited myself over to his house and demanded answers."

"You did?" Theo choked a laugh and peered to Turbo in warm expectancy, to which Turbo bobbed a knowing nod, heaved a hard sigh and beamed in remembrance to the sweet nostalgia.

"Boy did she," Turbo mumbled cutely.

"He was having such a lovely evening by himself with a good book and a cozy blanket, all in his sweats and such," Berri giggled and peered to Turbo in a loft of warm love, she shook her head and felt her heart swell in adoration, "Your loft smelled SO good, I was shocked you even let me in."

"I didn't want to," Turbo mumbled bashfully, he shook his head and gave Berri a sweet smile, "You very quickly garnered my attention, though... It wasn't too long after that did I feel myself falling. I remember the morning I fell in love with you."

"User, I wish it was that easy, for me," Theo huffed softly with a frown, he gestured to Turbo and Berri and now garnered a sadder tone of the conversation, "I-I'm REALLY glad you guys are pairing off and finding love, and... Especially you two, but... Touring with you, Gunner, Wren and Throttle has been, well... Really lonely..."

"... Teddy," Berri whined in a soft show of tender, sorrowful guilt as she sagged her shoulders, "Babe, I'm so sorry... I-I... Didn't even consider."

"Why would you? It's not your duty to worry about whether or not I find love," Theo shrugged and looked down with a bashful, adorable smile, one that very easily showed Ralph and Oliver through his demeanor, clear as day; Berri felt her heart swell with an unfathomable amount of love for her cousin.

"Theo, you could for SURE find Sama," Turbo encouraged with a lilt of uplifting, and to his surprise, Theo's brilliant green eyes hooked tight to Turbo's with the return of fragile, nervous, shy hope.

"Y-You think?" Theo staggered.

"Dude, you're a celebrity," Turbo shrugged and gave Theo an encouraging gesture of assurance, "I'm positive if you 'accidentally' bumped into her, in EZ Living, she would recognize you and you could go from there. She lives in EZ Living, right?"

"Yeah, she does," Berri pressed with excitement, "Teddy... It's not easy, but if you want something, you just kind of have to thrust yourself into it, sometimes..."

"Lest it thrusts itself right into you," Turbo mumbled as he gave Berri a very teasing side-eye of cute annoyance; he choked a laugh as Berri finally swat at his chest in a show of having had enough of his banter.

"I just... Sense she has another side to her story," Theo stated in a renewal of cuteness, though he still looked down in rising defeat, "Gunner always spoke so terribly about her, but... I see her in those interviews, I see her at past shows."

"Yeah, she did seem very feisty, but... Extremely caring, and warm towards people. ESPECIALLY her fans," Berri furrowed her brow in rising confusion, to which Theo bobbed a nod and looked down.

"Alright, well... Thanks guys," Theo mumbled with a calm smile sent in Turbo's and Berri's directions, "I appreciate it. I'll leave you two alone."

"You don't have to, Teddy, if you're feeling lonely," Berri rushed in nervous encouragement, to which Turbo bobbed a nod. Berri gestured to Turbo and was thrilled to feel the air about him immediately agree with everything Berri was about to say, "Theo, just cause... Turbo and I are now involved and all that fun stuff, doesn't mean we don't want to hang out with you anymore."

"Quite the contrary, dude, you're still our best friend," Turbo warmly encouraged, though Theo gave both beings, before him, a smug smile and dart his eyes between the two.

"Naw, y'all are just in that awkward 'don't want to be left alone' stage of the beginning of your relationship, huh," Theo cheesed a wide, cute smile, to which Berri sharply raised her eyebrows and felt her face get hot.

"Th-Theo, that's... Not it-" Berri was cut off.

"Yes it is, your face is turning red," Theo mumbled as he cutely gestured to Berri, though he quickly brought it right to Turbo and allowed his excitement and fervor to rise, "And look! Turbo's eyes are glowing that peachy... Blushy color when he's embarrassed or shy."

"They're really not, though," Turbo stabbed with a hard, incredulous laugh, though he shut his eyes tight, so no one could see his eyes anymore, and shook his head, "See?"

"So, what color would your guys' coding be if you swapped, then?" Theo wondered causally, to which Berri bugged her eyes and shot Theo a look as if to warn him that he was about to be dead meat; Turbo huffed a shaky breath and, although a cute, bashful smile sprawled his face, he spoke without thinking, nor opening his eyes.

"Rose gold," Turbo mumbled warmly, though Berri bugged her eyes farther and shot her wholly embarrassed attention tight to Turbo's disposition, to her left; Theo choked a hard laugh, which caused Turbo's eyes to pop open in surprise. His dewy, blushing gaze hovered to Berri's in boyish, innocent surprise, though he shrugged and shook his head in delightful shyness, "What! I-It's... True?"

"W-We only know that because Turbo helps me with my core coding meditations, i-it requires an exterior swap," Berri rushed in a begging tone, though she flagged her hand in Theo's direction as he began to chuckle in a boyish way and point at Berri's madly blushing cheeks, "Oh, SHUT UP!"

"I am so sure," Theo cheesed as he began to stand, though he watched as Turbo's and Berri's once comfortable presence now seemed strained and nervous, in each other's bubbles. Theo huffed a small laugh and began to ease towards the teleport pad, "You two behave, now. We still on for our hang out, tomorrow, at Turbo's place?"

"Yes," Turbo assured, though he gave Theo a playfully dull look of mild, smiling annoyance; Theo cheekily disregarded said look, saluted both beings and stepped his heavy feet onto the kitchen's main teleportation pad, inside the lovely, high-arched nook.

"Ta-ta," Theo chimed dorkily as his lovely, olive green coding quickly sprawled his body, he vanished into thin air, clearly teleported to his bedroom a few floors up.

"That... Wasn't awkward at all," Berri huffed in hot irritation as she bashfully peered down to the tray of brownies before her, though she raised her eyebrows in nervous surprise the second Turbo so warmly laid his grey hand onto hers, on the counter.

"As 'not' awkward as that was... He's reminded me that we definitely need to revisit said core stressors, love," Turbo's deep voice instructed with warm care, he was careful not to touch too heavily on any romantic notions, here. He took note of the much fainter stress marks on Berri's temples, and although they seemed to be dimmed for the time being, Turbo knew he needed to help her along with getting her stress levels under control.

"I-I've... Really dropped the ball, on it all," Berri mumbled bashfully as she allowed Turbo's warm, understanding presence to eradicate any awkwardness Theo had cutely laid over the place.

"I'm here to help," Turbo's deep voice coat Berri's soul in sweet goodness, to which she peered her curious, bashful gaze into his, once and for all, "C'mon. Let's head to my place. Get you back on track."