Chapter 8 - Always Ready to Carry

Lifeline woke up peacefully in the late afternoon. The bed was so comfortable she didn’t want to get up. She couldn’t let herself enjoy the luxury to much and she could feel that Octane was not still in bed. She brought her legs up and then slide them over the side of the bed. She pushed herself up with one arm until she was sitting the blankets sliding down her body. She shuddered at the chill of the air hitting her flesh. The room was pitch black.
    “Octane?” She called out as she wiped the sleep from her eyes. “If ya in the bathroom tell me or I’ll barge in on ya.” She went on when there was no response.
    As she woke up more she realized it was too quiet for him to still be in the room. She reached around for the controller for the lights and turned them on. He was gone and since he never traveled with much more then what he wears well he could have bolted for all she knew. Right as she was starting to get really annoyed the doors lock clicked and he walked in being as quiet as he could. Until he saw the lights and stopped trying.
    “Damn! I wasn’t quick enough.” Her relief to see him was as noticeable as the bags he was holding. “Chiiica, don’t tell me you thought I bolted on you? You thinkin crazy.”
    Ajay wasn’t about to admit that he was right on her thoughts. “Is that food? I’m starvin.”
    “Ey I got us breakfast burritos.” He placed one of the bags that drooped with the weight of what was in it on the table. He wanted to get the day started quickly but was hoping to be back before she got up. He really wanted to be the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes.
    “How many ya buy?” She commented as she stood up.
    “Diez. Ten. I want us to have energy for our 1st date today.” He placed the other bag on the floor and removed his mask.
    She laughed, “Well I have no doubts there will be nothing left once we done.”
    Ajay put her pajamas on went to freshen up in the bathroom before sitting down to eat. She blinked a couple times arching a brow as she watched Octane eat faster then usual.
    “Ya eating too fast. What’s the hurry?” She pointed at him before he opened his mouth, “And don’t say ya always in a hurry or something like that.”
    “Speed is life.” He swallowed the food in his and gave a playful smirk.
    “Shoulda known.” She shook her head with a smirk.
    The rest of the meal was quiet as he only had his mind on eating as quickly as possible. Then he practically shooed her out of the room to get dressed. His impatience building more and more as time moved even slower than usual.


    He went over and knocked on her door with the side of his fist. “Hurry up! Let's go on our first date already!”
    She opened the door for him to come in but didn’t look at him as she was putting up her hair. “Just get in here and wait.”
    Octane stared and circled around her as she walked back to the bathroom mirror finally getting to see the new clothes he bought her. She had on baggy red and black plaid pants held up by a black studded belt and star belt buckle. She was wearing a black tank top with a skeletal design and was even shorter than her usual tank showing her entire belly button. She had on fingerless grey gloves with silver wrist and forearm warmers.
    “Wow!” He exclaimed as he stood in the door of the bathroom.
    “Thanks.”
    She finished putting her pink hair up in its usual double orb like style. She put on her 2nd headband she’s had for awhile which inverted the black and white motif. She put on a small leather backpack purse as she didn’t like to go anywhere without basic versions first aid kit, a sewing kit and she had one of those small hammers that came apart and had screwdriver and heads inside it. She also had a utility knife and some water tucked into it.
    “Ok we ca~” She trailed off.
    “It's about time.”
    She had been ignoring him since he came in even while he circled her. She blinked a few times taking it in as he stood there tapping his foot looking at a non-existent watch. He wasn’t dressed in his usual Octane attire like she has come to expect.
    He wore a black sleeveless blue zippered hoodie that covered his stomach and baggy black jeans. The Jeans hooked under the heel of his prosthetics to help hide them. He had on a blue clip buckle belt with the clip buckle part in black.
    His face mask looked more off the shelf in full black and his goggles were the same but with blue none broken lenses.He wore his usual black fingerless leather gloves and the necessities for him to live like his dialysis machine and the tubes on his arm on the right side. He wore the bandages on his right in their usual place but also wrapped them up on his left to cover his tattoo.
    Ajay walked up to him and pulled the hood back revealing he wasn’t wearing his cap. “Anything prompting this change of look?"
    “Yea! I’m going as an Octane super fan!…” He hooked his hand on her lower back pulling her to him. “So we don’t have to hold back in public.”
    She arched a brow for how weird it was that now he wasn’t Octavio or Octane but a fan of Octane. “Well ya are ya own number one fan… Why blue?”
    He pulled his mask down “Cuz blues your favorite color.” He leaned down and kissed her before pulling away, putting his mask back on, pulling his hood up and jogging in place. “Now hurry up, let's go. Don’t make me carry you.”
    She smirked as he turned his back to her and as he started to walk towards the door she jumped on it. She wrapped her legs around his stomach and wrapped her arms around his clavicle and chest. He stumbled forward a few steps as he adjusted to take her weight his hands hooked under her thighs.
    “I’m making ya anyways.” She kissed his cheek.
    “All aboard the Octrain!” He exclaimed before opening the door and jogging out.
    Lifeline laughed, “Wha’d I say about boarding Octrain comments.”
    “To do them lots and often. Hahahaha.”
    She shook her head. “So where we going for our first date anyways?”
    “We are heading to the train station now. más tarde is a surprise”

    Halfway to the train station she expected him to comment or complain about it but he was silent on the matter. Figuring she made him carry her long enough she started to adjust placing her hands on his shoulders to jump off his back while keeping the momentum he built.
    “Where You think you going?” He asked before she did.
    “Ya carried me far enough.” She unwrapped her legs from around him.
    “Na-uh Chica.” He started to spin while leaning more forward and holding onto her legs tighter.
    She wrapped her legs back around him to prevent falling off onto her butt. “Wam wit ya?!”
    "I want to carry you to the station.” He kept spinning causing quite the scene.
    She brought her arm up and hooked her elbow around his neck putting a bit of pressure on his windpipe. “Stop spinning now.” He stopped and stood frowning beneath his mask completely silent. She to the pressure off and after a long pause, “Ya can carry me to the station.” She placed her arms back where they were before.
    “Yepa!” He jumped excited and took off heading the long way now.
    “For someone who said before leaving not to make him carry ya. Ya sure excited.”
    “I’m always ready to carry you. I just like to play hard to catch.”

    It took two trains to get where they were going and she passed the time by drumming. She would have played a game on her phone but she ended up giving it to Octane to entertain him. He really didn’t think things through and she wondered how much of this date was actually planned or on a whim.
    “Ne bzzt bzzt… Stat bzz zzzt” The voice came out from the busted intercom.
    “Okay this is our stop coming up.” He jumped up putting her phone in his pocket.
    “Ya can give me my phone back.”
    “Nu-uh, I want all your attention today.” He went down on one knee in front of her his back facing her. “Now hop on.”
    “I aint getting on ya back.” She pulled on his hoodie as she walked past him, “Ya in a hurry so let's keep moving”
    She really just wanted to stretch her legs they had been riding trains for over an hour now. Since she started to think about it as the door to the train opened she found it interesting he chose a place so far away. Before she was even fully off the train he was already paces ahead of her.
    “Ya going to tire yaself out.”
    “My legs never get tired. You made sure of that.”
    It didn’t take long until you could see the ferris wheel off in the distance and various other attractions. It was a large carnival and she started to jog a bit not quite heading towards it but trying to get a good look from a distance. The excitement showing slightly on her face. When she had a good view she stopped and stared at it for a moment.
    Octane went and stood next to her looking more at her then the carnival, “Did I do good Ajay?”
    “Yeah.” She smiled.
    “I was worried you might have grown out of this.”
    “I am surprised ya listened enough to remember.”
    “Harsh Chica.” He grabbed and pulled her towards him with one arm and lowered his mask with the other. “I think I deserve a kiss for that.”
    She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him towards her until their lips touched. She gave him a few long kisses before stepping away. She quickly grabbed his hand and she was the one pulling him. “Lets go!”
    Carnivals were extinct for awhile due to the war among other factors. She had seen pictures of them when she was little and always wanted to go to one. She mentioned it a few times when they were children but he never really seemed interested. It had been more than a decade since she last said anything about it so it filled her with a childish joy to be going to one now.
    They got a ticket from one of the antique replica ticket booths and he took the chance to wrap his arm around her shoulders, pulling her towards him. They went under the large lit up entry arch but the normal couple thing ended as soon as he heard the roller-coaster go over them. He let go and jogged a bit ahead looking for the entrance to the coaster.
    “Mira! Let’s start with that!” He pointed before turning and running towards it, “I’ll save us a spot!”
    She took a deep breath shaking her head and jogged after him. He was the loudest on the roller coaster enjoying it despite the minuscule rush it gave. He insisted on going one more time breaking a rule as he took out his phone and took a picture of them.
    Ajay was happy he was enjoying the rides as she doubted they were on the level of thrill he lives on. He was always excited to point another and head towards it. She just wished he would choose one that was next to it. They went back and forth across the carnival multiple times just to get to the ride that caught his attention next. Each ride they rode twice once for the fun the next for the picture.
    “Let’s get a pretzel.” She pointed at a stall they were walking by.
    He stopped and looked over at it. “Oh and Churros!”
    “Do ya want to split a pretzel. Strawberry churro, chocolate churro or original?” She paused and pointed at each picture.
    “Si.”
    She ordered and paid for the food getting a large lemon lime Power Crocoade to split as he claimed a bench. He stared at a couple at how they shared their churro as she organized things. She placed a napkin on the bench so she wouldn’t have to juggle all the food on her lap and just as she was getting ready to tear the strawberry churro in half.
    “I want to do the couple thing! You know I take a gran mordida. You take a bite.
    “It will be slower and I don’t want ya getting impatient.” She arched a brow.
    “Pleeeeaase! I promise to eat at your tortoise like pace.”
    Her face showing amusement, “Oh this I gotta see.”
    He pulled down his mask to just below his mouth, “You take first bite.”
    He did go at her pace for the most part, Rushing to take bites right after hers and taking really big bites. When he would wait for her to take the next bite he would wiggle his legs back and forth. She always took the first bite of each item but by the time they would finish the amount he had eaten was 2/3rds.
    “Not sure if ya could consider that at my pace.” She commented when they were done as she balled up the trash and attempted to throw the trash in the can from where she sat.
    “Ooo so close.” He responded putting his mask back on when she missed then got up and threw it away for her. “It was. I never took 2 bites in a row.”
    “Ya took big bites” She was impressed he showed that much control.
    “Ey I said that before we even started. Gran mordida is big bite.”
    “Cheat.”
    He wrapped his slender arms around her and pulled her to him as he sat back down. “I’ve been thinking… I think the roller coaster would be better if it had more loop de loops and cork screws. At least 5 more each and went way faster.”
    She laughed, “Here I thought ya were going to say something serious. So what ya want to ride next?”

    He looked around at all the various parts of rides he could see from where they sat. Eventually settling on the zipper ride. As they waited in line for their 2nd turn an announcement came over the speakers.
    “Everybody and Everyone there will be a contest held at the Joy wheel. It will start in 20 mins. If you plan to participate make sure you arrive in enough time to sign up. The number of people who can participate are limited so better hurry if you want to be an integral part of all the fun.
    As for everyone else who does not want to participate. There is a limited number of seats for spectators but all is not lost if you desire to see. We will be showing it on the big screens above certain parts of our here Carnival.”
    “Oh I so want to do that!”
    “Ya don’t even know what it is.”
    “Its held at something called the Joy Wheel it has to be fun!”
    “Okay, we should go now or you won’t get a spot.” She made way to walk but he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her back to him.
    “I want our picture first. If we get a spot we get a spot.” He couldn’t prevent his foot tapping impatiently despite what he said.
    “Ya weirdo.” She teased with a small shake of her head.

    They were part of the next set to ride so it didn’t take much time before they would head over. She was sent ahead of him as he had to use the baño as he put it. She wasn’t planning on participating but this forced her too.
    “Hey! Are you the legend lifeline from the Apex games?” The girl who was doing the sign ups.
    “I am.” She didn’t care to be recognized for being an apex legend.
    “I knew it! This will be the best one. I usually tell people you could put a nickname but everyone will recognize you… Soooo Print your name here and signature here lifeline.” The lady’s talking sped up.
    She let out a sigh that the excited lady missed as she did what was asked. “Anything else?”
    “Your all set, now take this number, head into there, go into the door that matches your number and exit when the door on the other side opens. Also we are not responsible for any injuries that might happen during the game and have fun!!” She talked even faster.
    “What is the game anyways?” Lifeline questioned with an arched brow.
    “All will be explained when it starts. Now head on through there and have fun!” Her speech slow again and waved her off.
    “Okay…” She responded unsure of her thoughts on this.
    
    Octane was heading out of the baño when heard over the speaker “Everybody and Everyone if your a fan of the apex games we have news for you. 2 of the big name legends are going to be participating so be sure to watch it to see just who. Also there are still some spots open for participants so if you want a chance to touch one of those legends, Get a really close look at your obsession or try your odds at asking a certain medic out try your chances with that as well as the game sign up now!”
    Excitement noticeably grew that by the time he got there a line had formed to sign up. He had to thank his luck that he got the last spot. It bugged him however that they were using Che to get more attention to it and he wondered who the other apex legend was.
    “Everybody and Everyone without further ado I’ll be introducing our contestants. I will not waste any time in introducing the stars of this particular event. Starting with the combat medic of I’m sure many ones dreams. The single and unattached lifeline!!!”
    The door slid open and she walked out with a fake smile and an arched brow at the applause and cheers. She stood at the line that said stand here and put up a peace sign. Then before the announcer even started talking the door to the next contestant slide open.
    “Now we have the Hawaiian rock himself showing he doesn’t need all that gear all the time. The man in the loud Hawaiian shirt, Gibraltar!”
    He came out in a blue and pink tropical floral design Hawaiian shirt with some Khaki cargo shorts and sneakers.  He walked up to the line did a pose and then laughed at how silly this all was.
    “Makoa?” Ajay pointed in surprised the last place she thought she would ever see him was at a carnival.
    “Hey lil Sistah.” He beamed a jolly filled smile.
    “Now for the less interesting, and maybe delusional, the fans and those who wish they were an apex legend.” Two of the doors opened. “We have the impostor Wattson and the Octane wannabe.”
    “Impostor? I will have you know I am the real Wattson.” Feeling the slightest bit peeved.
    “Come on Amigo I am a Super Fan.” Feeling just a bit insulted but it was quickly overshadowed by the surprised of Wattson and Gibraltar there.
    They both walked out at the same time but when you looked at Wattson no wonder the announcer thought she was an impostor. Her unruly thick blond hair with a length an inch above her shoulders was tucked into a black French beret. Her top was a simple grey turtleneck with her usual blue and orange thick jacket over it. For bottoms a blue pleated skirt and grey leggings underneath them with her usual boots.
    Wattson waved at Gibraltar and lifeline with a smile after waving in a circle at the crowd. Gibraltar crossed his arms as he looked at the Incognito Octane and nodded. It took a bit longer for Wattson to put 2 and 2 together but when she did she laughed to herself clapping her hands.
    Lifeline sneaked Octane a wink when he looked at her as she kept standing there waiting as more people were introduced. The announcer gave everyone but lifeline and Gibraltar a sarcastic edging on insulting name. Their names appearing on the door they exited from. A few of them brave enough to take their shot in front of the audience as they exited, spurred on by the announcer’s commentary.
    “Hey lifeline, I Love you! Take The line of life to my heart.” A man shouted at her looking at her.
    Lifeline just glared and turned her head away from them the announcer commentating “Ooo I bet that coldness stung.”
    The guy continued, “Then how about you Imposter wattson? I could cosplay too.”
    “The nerve!” Wattson crossed her arms with a huff.
    “Well talk about falling off the horse and getting back on. Now we have…”
    A few later another came out and instead of talking rushed for lifeline his intentions obvious for all to see. As soon as he came into her personal space she decked him. “Wam wit ya?” Gibraltar just laughed heard even over the crowd finding it amusing.
    “Well that’s quite a rejection. I bet if any others waiting to be called out hoping to take a shot at Little Lifeline would have wanted to see that. They would probably think twice about it. Wouldn’t be as fun for us tho now would it?” The announcer commented as the guy picked himself up and went to his spot.
    A lady later would try her luck, “Being around boys like Octane and Mirage should be enough to show you that a woman is better. So come on girl I won’t run off on ya or make you have to take care of me. Lets get out of here.”
    Lifeline turned her head from the woman with the announcer commentating again. “Another ice cold rejection…”
    Octane crossed his arms and started tapping his foot impatiently. It bugged him what was going on and since he was an Octane super fan and not Octane he couldn’t do anything given the situation. As he thought about it even as Octane he couldn’t say anything ‘cause they weren’t fully official yet as he was going at her pace for that. Then he hit his head a few times with his hands to get the thoughts out and get himself psyched up again.
    “Might want to rethink that coldness. Most men aren’t much different from the men here.” She pointed “Look at him, if an Octane Wannabe does that I’m sure the re-”
    “Will ya Shut up.” Her face conveyed the same emotion as her words.
    “Hey, I’m just looking out-” The woman now making it seem like she is doing her a favor.
    “Get out of here.” When the woman didn’t leave she turned fully and stared her down. “Now.”
    “Bitch.” The woman trying to save face before hastily walking out.
    “Well that was unexpected a contestant gone before the games even begins.” The announcer continuing on until the final one was announced. “Now here are the rules. When the buzzer goes off you run into the wheel and choose a spot. You can sit stand or lay just as long as you keep your clothes on. The wheel will start to spin and whoever is the last one still on it or to fall off wins! Those that end up falling off can try and mess up others by throwing the balls at the ones still on the wheel. Now to wet your appetite even more I shall show you the prizes you win if you are the victor!”
    The person who took the sign ups wheeled out a cart full of prizes. “We added some extra prizes just for this occasion and to show our love for the legends here today. We have 2 custom one of a kind chibi stuffed toys here. One of the jolly Gibraltar and the other hopefully warmer then the real lifeline. The third stuffed animal is a limited edition one I’m sure everyone here will recognize. Nessy! Then finally for those who aren’t fans of stuffed toys. We have this sleek Scooter! And some gift cards that can be used around our wonderful Carnival!”
    Both Octane and Lifeline recognized the scooter as the one he was interested in the other day. Wattson clapping excited by the Nessy stuffed animal.
    “Now isn’t that something.” Gibraltar was impressed and shouted. “I’m Ready!”
    “There’s that Excitement! Now get ready…. Go!” The buzzer went off.
    Almost everyone ran towards the circle one of the guys next to Octane who was slowed due to the longer pants tripped him so he could be closer to Lifeline. Lifeline had made her way to the middle sitting and facing Gibraltar. Wattson not feeling like fighting everyone for a spot walked leisurely and took a spot as close to the center of the wheel as possible after everyone.
    “You think someone forgot she was in a competition?”
    Then another buzzer went off and the wheel started to spin. It started slow and would speed up gradually when it shook the first time some people slide off.
    “Already some nobodies have failed to stay on the wheel. Lets speed up this wheel faster give the legends a real challenge.”
    The speed suddenly got more and shook again causing Octane to try to cling to something to no avail as he started to slide. He slid off with a crash followed by Wattson that he maneuvered to cushion her impacting stop.
    A minute later, “We are down to the final three people! Gibraltar which we all knew the mountain would make it this far. The neckbeard who on the sheet wrote I would assume a Screen name called Troll69master. And the rumors seem to be true about her being bottom heavy Lifeline! We will slow it down so you can adjust or change position but be quick about it who knows when we will speed it up again and how fast.”
    Lifeline and Gibraltar didn’t move when it slowed staring at each other with competitive smiles and focus. The Troll sliding up closer to her now. As the troll adjusted to what he thought was an ample position to grope the unsuspecting lifeline. Both Octane and Gibraltar noticed and Octane took the ball and threw it. It hit the guy and bounced up and Gibraltar smacked the ball and it hit the guy in the face. As the Wheel sped up again he was thrown off balance sliding off and hitting the ground with a roll.
    “Thats cheating! Gibraltar is a fat cheater!” The Neckbeard shouted in protest to Gibraltar smacking the ball.
    “Don’t be a sore loser Trollbeard. Security get him out of here. No sore losers allowed here.” The announcer wasn’t about to have a scene since he saw what he hoped others missed as it would be bad publicity.
    Not even a minute later Lifeline ended up sliding off with Gibraltar grabbing her hand to slow her as the wheel was spinning as fast as it could. Gibraltar ended up being the last one to slide off and winning the game.
    “YEEAAAH!” Gibraltar stomped the ground legs spread wide and cheered.


    After it was all done and everything died down all 4 met up and started to walk around.
    “How did you figure it out?” Octane asked as they knew it was him.
    “She was with you last night and canceled her date plans.” Wattson commented.
    “So of course she would be here with you Braddah.” Gibraltar added.
    “Hey Ajay! Lets ride the bumper cars!” Octane already moving on as they passed the ride.
    “Can I join you two? I am really interested in experiencing the antique system they use to make them move.”
    “I don’t much feel like the jerking motion after the zipper and ‘Joy wheel’. How about ya guys go. I’ll sit on the bench and see ya afterwords.” Lifeline commented holding her stomach as she sat on a bench near the ride.
    “I’ll join you.” Gibraltar sat down next to her. “Those cars are to snug for me.”
    “Okay lets go.” Wattson the one in a rush now urging Octane along.
    When they were out of sight, “You okay lil Sistah?”
    “Yeah. Not going to get sick if thats what ya mean.”
    “Well thats good… You know me and wattson saw you. We didn’t want to impose so we entered to make sure our suspicions were right cause if you were here with Octane you’d be in that competition.”
    She laughed, “Yeah sometimes he can be predictable.”
    “So why were you trying so hard to win something in a contest you obviously didn’t want to be doing?” Gibraltar prodded as he reclined back on the bench.
    “I wanted to win the scooter for him.”
    “I figured. Well I planned to share my prize with everyone. Octane will be very happy stuffed lifeline and a scooter.”
    “Ya boyfriend will be happy with a stuffed you.”
    “He always has a stuffed me. Haha.”
    She smirked at the joke, “So did the bet you lost have to do with you taking Wattson here?”
    “Yooou guessed it. I didn’t want to take her out in her usual get up so I was glad when she lost a bet to me later.”
    “It suits her.”
    “Just wish she’d have brushed her hair.”
    “You two have a strange dynamic.”
    “I could say the same for you and Octane.”
    “Yeah…” She drifted off in thought for a moment.
    Not liking the look she started to have, “Hey Hey! This place has a Midway how about after the bumper cars we separate for a bit. Meet up there in a few hours. I’ll win you a prize.”
    “Ok. Is good with me.”

    Meanwhile Wattson and Octane stood in line for the bumper cars. He tapped his foot impatiently while Wattson bounced as she watched the sparks Occasionally fly from the metal. When they got closer she would start talking about how it worked which Octane got more bored listening too.
    Then as they would be next the operator stopped them, “You two in a group together?”
    At the same time they responded “Oui.” “Si.” When the guy looked confused Octane continued, “Yes.”
    “Then you have to either ride the same car or wait. Answer fast I don’t have all day.”
    Everyone knew the type of guy Octane was so Wattson who didn’t want to wait either rushed thru the short gate, “Who ever gets to the car first drives!”
    “Your on!” Octane went after her his movement restricted by his long pants but cheated by leapfrogging over the back of the car into the driver's seat.
    This bumper car ride had a game that went along with it. If you manage to crash into the other cars hitting certain bullseye on the cars you will get a point. If another car hits you at those points you lose a point. If you manage to get 25 points by the end you earn a carnival game voucher.
    “Let’s do this!” Octane psyched himself up as the rides power started up.
    “Put…What did they say again…Oh the pedal to the metal.”
    Then they were off and Octane sped right into another car causing a jerking stop before starting again. Wattson held onto her hat afraid it would fall off. As it went on and Wattson watched all the sparks and just how everything worked she agreed with Lifeline. “zis really is a jerky ride.”
    “Damn, 23.” He looked at the score when it was over.
    “If my count is correct they hit you 12 times and the target 7 times.” Wattson double checked counting her fingers.
    “I’m going again!” He jumped out and ran to stand in line again.
    After she caught up to him. “I’ll help. I think I know a way to get a speed boost.”
    Wattson had a small generator and a pair of her thick insulated special gloves tucked into her jacket. It took 3 more tries but they finally got the 25 points and the special game voucher.
    “We did it.” Wattson was so happy she clapped her hands and jumped as they made their way back.
    “I’ll have to def take Ajay to the Midway later.”
    “I bet she’d love it if yo-!” Wattson tripped and before she would fall Octane caught her, letting go when she regained her balance. “Won her something.”
When the two got back Lifeline and Gibraltar were sitting there eating soft serve ice cream cones. Octane pulled his hood forward blocking his face more from the sides as they walked up.
    “You kids were gone awhile.” Gibraltar pointed out as he tilted the cone to the side and ran his wide tongue along the outside of the strawberry ice cream.
    “If ya w-”
    Octane came over and in one quick fluid motion he leaned down moved his mask down. He took off the top bit of her ice cream with his lips. He put his mask back on while using his hood and hand placement to block the view of the other two.
    “Its Coffee.” He complained as he played with it in his mouth moving his hood back to its original placement.
    “It’s Mocha and its not like I offered ya any.” She responded annoyed as she turned away from him her tongue licking from the rim of the cone up.
    “I am sorry. I did not realize how much time had passed.”
    “No big.” Lifeline commented with a dismissive swat at the air.
    “You kids just miss out on Ice cream” Makoa commented playfully.
    “So I wonder what rides do you have left to try?”
    “Hmmm out of the ones he’d like… 2 maybe 3.” Ajay’s ice cream was licked just thin and short enough now that she put it into her mouth and pulled it out to get all sides at once.
    Some more chitchat happened but Octane was silent through it all enthralled by Ajay. His headgear working to his advantage to hide his staring. She wasn’t eating ice cream any different than how she always did but he was lost in it to the point of missing the reason got up and walked away with Wattson.
    Gibraltar snapping him out of it. “Sit down. I have something to say to you.”
    “Que pasa Amigo?… What’s up?” He squatted on the bench next to him.
    “I know you two grew up together braddah but do you really see her now? Your answer don’t matter to me. Just remember if you are toying with her and hurt her you will have the rock that is Gibraltar to deal with.”
    “I cannot stress enough… how badly I am not going to do that.”
    “Prove that braddah.”
    Done with the conversation jumped off the bench and pat him on the shoulder, “Ya know, you reallly are a papi.” Octane ran off with a laugh in the direction she went.
    “You better run!” Gibraltar shaking a fist at him with a loud boisterous laugh.

