Reviews :
BanannaSammich : It was bound to happen sooner or later, he's surrounded by cry babies LMAO
Nikki Firesong : Thank you SO MUCH Yes, Lash is known for shaking things up lol. And, I do believe the term 'Mash' has become very popular among fans of this pairing, so I'd say Mash it is lol! Well since OOTB is book 4, I'd say we're like... 3/4ths of the way through the 4th season, if this were a show. How freaking cool would that be. I've considered turning the entire story into a comic, but I'd probably only have time for that after I retired or something, less it take me the better half of my working life lol! IDK how many pages that'd be. This saga currently has over 800 chapters. At the beginning of this story, I put a chapter into comic form and one chapter was about 9 pages long... Soooo 800 times 9 is over 7,000 hahaha I'm crying laughing. I mean hey, if enough people are desperate enough for me to put this behemoth into comic form, I'll consider. It'd take be 3 lifetimes, but I think it'd be really cool to see it evolve. Who knows. Thanks for sticking with me through the thick of it all, I really appreciate those reviewers that have been here since the very beginning.
Snake557 : I was inspired by my own surroundings :D I live like 5 minutes from the beach, so I figured now was a good time to utilize what I now call home.
faolan1230 : Aww. Yeah he's just a goober deep down.
Lyssdoodle : Thank you so much! I'm pretty nervous, mostly that I won't have free time to work on the story, but I'll squeeze it in where I can, fingers crossed.
Song Listened To :
Gypsy Heart by Colbie Caillate
*Chapter 229*
"This is incredible," Berri hissed in gentle delight, her tender, bare footsteps lead up the little stairwell of her's and Turbo's lovely loft area, inside their own abode.
Although the upstairs loft was small, it was open to the rest of the high-ceilinged home, crowned with a gorgeous white canopy that draped their large bed in a way fit for royalty. With pristine, untouched white linens so beautifully sprinkled with beautiful, white tropical little flowers, Berri's eyes trailed the lovely light wooden floors, the gorgeous, intricate, beachy decor and furniture, the way the sunlight hit the place from skylights and sheer-draped windows all about, she shook her head and was certain this was heaven. In the gentle turn to allow her eyes to visit Turbo's, she was halted in her movement the second Turbo's strong arms came about her middle, from behind her. She beamed in a relieved sag, allowed her hands to snake to the backs of his forearms and happily leaned her back into the broad of his strong chest.
"I wanted to treat this getaway like a precursor to our honeymoon," Turbo's deep, raspy voice warmly mumbled into her ear, and as goosebumps plagued her neck and she scrunched with a small giggle, he eased a few slow, innocent kisses into the soft skin on her neck, just behind her ear.
"I can't imagine what our actual honeymoon will be like, if THIS is the precursor," Berri huffed a sighing giggle of further, smiling relief, Turbo so gently began to sway her, though with the way he fell silent in brooding thought, Berri took note of their gentle silence and frowned as she attempted to tilt her head to look at Turbo, "Babe, what's wrong... You seem as if you're worrying about something you're not telling me about."
"No, I just... Am thinking about your dad and brother, I just feel bad that I'm not there to help out with the deleter protection," Turbo mumbled, he still held his strong arms fastened around Berri's waist and hips, a secure hug in which their swaying so gently subsided, "I know he told me to just... Leave it to them, but I can't help but feel guilty."
"Well, I can reassure you all day long that you have no reason to feel guilty," Berri eased with a small sigh, she pat the back of Turbo's forearm and continued to hold him to her. She rested the back of her head to the front of Turbo's strong, broad shoulder and allowed her aimless gaze to soak in the sunny, lovely, romantic little abode her and Turbo were to share for the next two weeks, "If you're REALLY that bothered about it, I'd say call him. I mean, you call him enough, he's going to eventually deploy tough love on you and likely tell you to delete his number from your phone."
"That might be what it takes," Turbo choked a laugh that him and Berri cutely shared, he easily tucked back in for a few more soft kisses on her neck, "I'm just worried, I guess I just need a distraction."
"Happy to oblige," Berri chimed cutely, her fingers gently reached up to tuck underneath Turbo's chin, which was on its way to developing some thick, black scruff. She tilted her head back in a lean and eased a warm, loving kiss into the broad of Turbo's cheek. He lulled his eyes closed and bashfully smiled amidst the blushy glow their eyes very slowly began to produce, a muted show of sunny love they now marinated it. Berri inhaled an easy breath and exhaled her whispery conclusion tight into his ear, "Wanna see the bikinis I packed?"
"Yes, ma'am," Turbo's deep voice tenderly assured, a lilt of eagerness coat his gentlemanly tone, his hands carefully travelled up and down Berri's sides as he finally leaned down to place a few kisses on Berri's bare shoulder. She wore a white, flowy blouse of a crop-top and casual, light blue skinny jeans with holes in the knees, her hair was down and in its natural waves, Turbo eased his rosy eyes closed and was well aware that keeping the topic of Arcadia, and everything that entailed, in the back of his mind, was due to being a chore. He peeled his eyes open and indulged in allowing his eyes to traverse the down-angle he had of Berri's beautiful body, he finally did everything he could to keep this moment, these two weeks, at the forefront. He shyly carried on, "I-I... Know we already swapped codes this morning, but..."
"You know that 'swap twice daily' exercise ended yesterday, right?" Berri teased, to which Turbo lulled his eyes closed in soft dread and sagged his shoulders, though he perked up in a flinch the second Berri blurt a giggle and shrugged, her hands gripped Turbo's wrist with a swell of love, "I guess that means we can swap as many times as we want, now."
"I-I just... Need you," Turbo admitted shyly, although their ember of love was now fully fanned, a raging fire due to setting off fireworks, he still was dutifully reminded just how new it all still was. The strange push and pull of given and received love, he really marinated in the idea of just how precisely she covered each of his needs, a drape of love that didn't miss a single inch of his shivering soul. Turbo inhaled a shaky breath and shyly buried his nose into the side of Berri's head as he cutely carried on, "I'm just nervous and worried about leaving the palace, in such a weird situation... I hope the press doesn't find us. I also am worried about-"
"You've used the word 'worried' about four times now, in the past minute alone," Berri mumbled, to which Turbo exhaled a deflated sigh into the side of her head and sagged in defeat. Berri blurt a giggle and tilted her head back, so to gain a shred of eye contact with Turbo. Although met, Turbo still looked as if he was en route to becoming mentally disheveled. Berri pat his arms and gently wormed out of his grip with a bounce in her step, the sunshine glinted off of her beautiful figure, "Alright, so you're worried, stressed, anxious, all because you're not working. Right?"
"At the core of it, yeah," Turbo muttered, he sagged his hands into his pockets and gave her a defeated, longing look of mild plea, he long-blinked in gentle listening as she pressed on, though she cutely moseyed about their airy loft area, an aimless circle about the huge, beautiful bed that beckoned them both.
"Well, as Sugar Rush's future Queen, I'm going to give you a few tasks for today, okay?" Berri stated seriously as she gestured to Turbo; she was literally shocked to see him perk up in a hopeful manner, as if to show eagerness for literal work to be done. Berri stifled a giggle, pulled her materializer from her pocket and strolled over to their larger shared dresser. She began unpacking her own clothes into one side of the long, white dresser, to which she started with her bikinis. She pulled one out of the drawer and inspected it; a white, strappy number, Turbo cocked an eyebrow and now curiously watched her as she carried on, "So, your first task, before we head out to the water, is to help me pick which bikini to wear. I'll try it on, you'll tell me I look great, then you'll take it off of me and prove to me your findings."
Turbo raised his eyebrows in prickled delight and finally scoffed a hard chuckle out to the room. He shook his head, looked off in bemused cuteness and finally dragged his almost irritatedly happy gaze tight to his Queen, a rosy show of cute fervor that began to sap the room with romance.
"Ma'am," Turbo tenderly agreed to, lilted with a chuckle he couldn't contain.
"After, you'll make us drinks, and we'll head out to the beach and join everyone there," Berri continued to instruct, she pulled out another one of her bikini tops and laid it on top of the dresser, as if to prepare to try them all on for Turbo. Her hands worked with care and delicacy, her tone pressed on in seriousness, though the little, bashful smile she tried to conceal proved to Turbo that she was doing everything she could to cater to him, here, "Once you're there, you're hereby ordered by Sugar Rush hierarchy to sit and relax with your friends and family."
"Ma'am," Turbo cutely agreed, once more, he looked down to his bare feet with a shy smile and remained still to allow Berri's warmth coat his shivering soul.
"You are to leave your phone in the building and forget it exists," Berri chirped with a nod, she finally peered back to Turbo and gave him a cheeky side-eye, "Think you can handle that?"
"Your Highness," Turbo's deep voice concluded with now shy, grinning fervor, he glanced into her eyes and remained still.
"Good man, now sit down and let me try these on, for you," Berri mumbled with a smile as she gestured to the edge of their bed.
"I think they'd all look better on the ground," Turbo just barely muttered with a cheeky grin as he slowly made his way over to the bed, though before he could sit down, Berri raised her eyebrows and shot him a shy smile of surprise; they both blurt out into knowing laughter, though Berri rolled her eyes and faced Turbo.
"Should I just skip the step where I show you the bikinis I brought?" Berri barked in playful irritation as she gestured her arms out, though Turbo largely raised his eyebrows, held his hands up and looked off, as if to show pure innocence, here.
"No, no, your highness, you have a VERY strict schedule, for today, I'd like to finish all of the tasks you gave me," Turbo instructed in a very serious, matter-of-fact tone, though the grin across his cute face proved that he was floored, as if to be grateful for Berri's skillful distractions.
"Alright, I want your honest opinion," Berri chirped, to which Turbo bobbed a nod, cocked an eyebrow and inhaled a shaky, readied breath.
"I'm all eyes," Turbo retort in cheeky, boyish delight.
"I mean LOOK at this dumbass, lookit'im," Lash barked with a gesture of his hand, he and Nox loudly erupted into laughter at the sight deep in the shore's splashing water. Throttle looked cautious to step too deep into the crystal clear water, his hand urgently shaded his eyes from the sun, he looked mildly out of his element. Whilst Wren and Theo had a grand time in the water, Throttle apprehensively looked on. Nox and Lash did whatever they could to catch their breath, they lounged together in a propped collection underneath a rather large, white beach umbrella. The blanket they laid on harbored Koko's and Mara's frosty drinks, as well as other beach sundries. Lash wiped his eyes and wobbled as Nox nudged his arm, as if to tell Lash to knock off the teasing, though their roaring laughter proved that said secretive teasing wouldn't let up, "Oh, uh, uh... This water's cold, the sun is too hot, for goodness sakes, golly gee, it's BRIGHT."
"Stop it," Nox wheezed as he now plopped on his back, held his stomach and rasped laughter out of his core, to the point where no noise was being made.
"I'm NOT wrong!" Lash rasped, he continued to wipe his eyes of tears as him and Nox loudly continued to laugh, "Poor guy acts like he's never seen a beach in his life."
"H-How much sunscreen you think he put on?" Nox whined through continued laughter, though he choked a few times and desperately tried to collect himself, it was here did both boys notice Koko and Mara returning.
"Probably not enough," Lash whimpered through their now very teary giggling, Lash heaved a shaky sigh and wiped his eyes for the thousandth time as Koko and Mara slowly trudged through the velvety, heavy beach sand.
"User, I thought you boys were dying, over here," Koko called over the soft ocean breeze; Nox sat up a little higher and politely offered Koko her towel, though he still did what he could to catch his breath.
"We're just admiring the gleam of a beacon bouncing off of Throttle," Lash muttered, to which Nox snorted a hard laugh and was rocketed into a fit of near-tears, once more.
"... You GOOD?" Koko urged down to Nox who finally flopped to his back, once more, and clutched his stomach amidst cracking up.
"Poor guy," Mara mumbled cutely as she held her hand over her eyes, for shade, and peered down to the water; Throttle finally was hip-deep in the splashing, crystal clear waters, though Wren and Theo were much further out.
"I forgot how funny you were," Nox wheezed as he finally did whatever he could to collect himself, he sat up once Koko and Mara sat down on their massive beach blanket, under the shade. Nox inhaled a deep, shaky breath and although his giggling subsided, the wide, carefree grin was still plastered to his face, "I'm glad you're here, dude, seriously. You're hilarious."
"Yeah, looks like I lucked out in the humor department, what with you being so likeable and Throttle being so smart," Lash gestured out to the water, though out of the corner of his eye, he could see Turbo, Berri and Tatum slowly strolling up, from their stretch between the ocean and their little beach houses. Although about twenty feet off, Lash knew Turbo was in earshot, "Then you have THIS guy. Turbo Casanova Black."
"It's Cassius, you freak," Turbo blurt with an irritated grin as the group approached.
"Is that your middle name?" Tatum cutely inquired, to which Turbo bobbed an innocent nod and gave her a soft smile.
"Yeah, right, it was only GIFTED to you by the almighty Users because it could so easily be confused with Casanova," Lash argued with a grin, and though Turbo stopped just at the blanket's edge, Berri and Tatum pressed on together so to join the crew in the water; both were dressed in adorable, showy bikinis, something Lash did everything he could to seem entirely disinterested in. He hooked his muted eyes tight to Turbo's, who stood in the full sunlight, "We've been out here for like an hour now. Y'guys have to break in the bed so soon, or something?"
"If you want my honest answer, yes," Turbo chirped with a shrug of his masculine shoulders, with this, Nox stifled a laugh, at Lash's expense, while Koko beamed in cheeky cuteness and Mara bashfully looked off, "Were you expecting me to become some stammering mess and maybe try and cover up the fact that I maybe was taking so long because I was tending to my bride?"
"Oo, clever wording," Nox hissed through the grit of his teeth as him and Koko caught eyes; she gave him a bemused, smiling look of cute irritation.
"Why, though? I mean seriously, you couldn't wait? Is the urge THAT crazy?" Lash argued, he wrinkled his nose amidst his smile and tried to come across as disgusted, though as he sat up, and Turbo sat down, he was well aware he was fooling no one, and inquiring about it further would only cause him to dig a deeper grave.
"I could've waited, but I had a moment of weakness and needed it," Turbo stated honestly, and it was here did everyone sink into Turbo's delightfully serious vibe.
"You mean like you needed the reassurance or something," Nox pressed, knowing full well just what Turbo was talking about; Lash sharply furrowed his eyebrows and gave Nox a confused look.
"Yeah, just... Insecurities about not working, it's weird for me," Turbo politely explained as he gestured his hand out.
"That happened to me last week, I had a huge final to study for," Koko mumbled knowingly as her and Nox caught glances in soft nonchalance.
"Yeah, I learned that maybe verbally explaining what's bothering me really helps when we actually-"
"Okay, okay, can we speak English, here? I don't understand a word of what you're saying," Lash barked in grinning irritation, halting the conversation. Turbo furrowed his brow and held his curious eyes tight to Lash, though he softened and was thrilled to hear Lash's inquiries broaden, "You're telling me, code swaps will erase your worries?"
"No, not entirely," Nox shook his head, him and Turbo caught eyes in the whirl of desperately trying to get Lash at least on the same page as them, having already come around a great deal.
"It's like, say, with Nox's and Koko's situation. Koko's worried about her final, but Nox doesn't feel worried about it at all, cause he doesn't have to take it, and he's confident in Koko's skill," Turbo kindly gestured to Koko and Nox, to which he could feel Mara's silent, observing demeanor hook tight to this conversation, "If they communicate that to each other, and then swap, there's intention. You feel a little more balanced, afterwards, right?"
"Yeah, it helped a lot," Koko affirmed, to which Lash dart his golden eyes between Nox, Koko and Turbo, though he choked a small laugh and curiously landed his eyes to Mara's.
"I'm glad I'm not the only one here who maybe doesn't understand this nonsense, phew," Lash desperately tried to come across as 'too cool for school', hoping Mara would maybe join him, though he sagged a little and knew better, the second Mara looked to the side in smiling disagreeing.
"I'm the product of a code swap," Mara snipped cutely, to which Turbo rubbed his jaw and shot Lash a knowing look of smiling dread, "I'm also a User. Of course I understand 'this nonsense' ... It's beautiful and has done nothing but help all the peers surrounding you, right now. Ever endured an exterior swap?"
Lash raised his eyebrows and felt the color leave his eyes, he bashfully shot his eyes to Turbo's and was well aware, not two hours ago, Turbo had so kindly roped Lash into a brotherly exterior swap so to calm his nerves, and it worked. Turbo cocked an eyebrow and returned Lash's look of boyish humility with a cheeky smirk of knowing, to which Lash finally looked off in defeated annoyance. Mara's gentle voice coat the group over the ocean breeze.
"It's the same thing... Maybe not on that high of a level, as a code swap," Mara shrugged, though Lash felt his pupils tighten the second she cued her golden honeycombs of coding, on her palm, incredible coding that was capable of literally anything. Lash swallowed hard and felt fear plague him the second Mara's sharp eyes stabbed into his, "I don't think you should dump on things you don't fully understand. It's okay to be a coded-virgin and still embrace the ideals behind something you maybe don't have, or fully understand."
"I understand it just fine, thank you very much," Lash barked in now stewing irritation, though Mara eased a sly little smile, leaned forward, so to follow through the act of getting up, and eyed Nox and Koko.
"I think there are probably three gamers here who would disagree with that notion," Mara quipped cutely as she finally began to stand, though much to Lash's huge dismay, Koko, Nox and Turbo all dragged their knowing eye contact tight to his, as if to certainly agree with Mara's words. Lash wrinkled his nose and shot Mara a dirty look as she turned to head out to the group in the water, though much to Lash's further irritation, she got in one final volley, "It's okay to be uneducated, doll, just take that first step in admitting it to yourself."
Lash held his breath and felt frustration now course through him. He sat froze, as did everyone else, though Nox stifled a chuckle as Lash finally sat up and shook his head in whole entire fuming disgust.
"Man... What a... B-..."
"Hooo, don't do it," Turbo choked with a hard laugh as he shook his head and looked off in bewildered surprise. He finally gave Lash full eye contact and grinned, "Source another word, source another word."
"Yeah, that's my great niece, you don't want to catch these hands," Koko muttered with a sneaky smile, to which Nox peered into Lash's eyes and urgently shook his head, as if to beg that he, for certain, did not want to make any wrecker here angry.
"Okay, so when does she eventually become friendly?" Lash argued as he flagged his hand out, Mara was now too far away to hear their conversing, "Is it tomorrow? The last day? I don't want to spend my entire vacation being dogged on."
"Give it back to her a little, I don't know," Nox shrugged, Koko half-heartedly nodded.
"She's kind of one that likes to turn any conversation into a boxing match," Koko mumbled cutely, "You kind of have to dodge her blows and throw some of your own, you'll impress her that way and she'll eventually let her guard down."
"You want me to be mean BACK to her?" Lash urged in hot irritation, to which Turbo gently grabbed Lash's shoulder and gained eye contact.
"She's not being mean to you, she's just a blunt individual," Turbo assured with a chuckle as Lash began to look defeated, "She's right... You ARE uneducated in this topic, but it's nothing to be ashamed of. Methinks you've actually come around to the idea, huh?"
"I don't mind the exterior swaps," Lash mumbled, almost to himself, though Nox raised his eyebrows in due surprise and caught bewildered gazes with Turbo.
"Try dishing it back, don't be mean to her, just treat her how you'd treat us," Turbo chuckled and shook his head, though he began to adjust his sitting position so to bring himself to a stand, "You dog on us all the time, but it's all in good fun. She's not used to being included in this group, YOU are."
"You're supposed to be hazing the newbie, but you've wound up being the one who is receiving said hazing," Koko muttered with a soft giggle.
"I can't keep up with any of this," Lash grunted as he crossed his arms and leaned over his knees in disgruntled irritation, Nox pat his bare back and smiled.
"Yes you can," Nox assured in a smiling drone of nonchalance.
"Don't make me play mediator on you and her," Turbo warned with a sly smile as he began to step away, though Lash shook his head and waved Turbo off in further irritation.
"She'd delete me before that'd be an option, dude," Lash argued, he sagged in defeat and felt his heart thud in confusion.
As his eyes scanned the group in the water, with Mara and Turbo becoming smaller and smaller, he frowned and allowed his mind to melt into Nox's and Koko's warm conversing. He wondered why this was all so difficult for him, the source of just why he was so put off by this group's magical coded abilities of becoming more in touch with their emotions, as well as the emotions of their swap mates. He huffed a long, hot breath through his nose and frowned harder, the tug of belonging now began to drown him with a desire he was certain he'd absolutely never feel; the desire to land on the same page as everyone, to truly understand their language.
A/N : Hey guys, alright. So, I've decided on an upload schedule whilst I'm in school. This is subject to change, for more or less, but for now, I'm going to be starting out with uploading every Saturday. Instead of uploading one 3k worded chapter, I'll be uploading one 6k+ worded chapter, so to tide you guys over. If this changes, you guys will obviously know. Thanks for your support, you guys!
