Lorena
Something had changed.
Rocket wasn’t sure if she could depict one specific thing that had, but their was definitely a wavering atmosphere.
People were cautious around IG and Lorena, as anything could send the later into a angry tirade.
Honestly, she wasn’t before, but now, Iron Giantess acted more like a Guard then anything.
Eh, a maternal guard?
No that’s for daughters stupid,
What’s the word for constant need to protect a tiny girlfriend?
She didn’t know.
But everywhere she went, you could bank on Lorena being wrapped in her embrace.
A thick white bandage covered her wrist, like a neon sign. Hypnotizing everyone who saw into a state of guilt and unease.
No one laughed anymore, and Lorenas happy attitude was sorely missed.
Yeah...., Rocket was gonna have to do something about that soon.
But could she not take a second to focus on her currently capsizing social life???
Ok, she was gonna take a second,
After the exchange with Dynamite, something had been different between the two of them, her roommate didn’t act weirdly or anything, but it was like the space between them was charged with something.
With what? Rocket still couldn’t decipher.
Flame on the other hand was STRIKINGLY PAINFUL. Their interactions TURBO CHARGED.
And it wasn’t just resorted to touch anymore.
Even being in the same room as her could cause her to wither pitifully. Choking on nonexistent smoke. Barely managing to leave the room without spontaneously combusting.
She was finding herself practically living in Hers and geeks secret room. Choosing to spend the day at his dorm, and spend the nights their.
She rarely ever went into her own dorm anymore, and it was only to get the barest of necessity’s.
Even THEN she made their was no chance of her having a run in with Dynamite.
Avoidance seemed to be her choice of coping with everything.
And It was good enough for her!
Well, at least that was what she was telling herself.
Cause this meant being cooped up in a select few of places.
And she was called Rocket for a reason! She couldn’t be kept still for long! She had to blast off! And launch to the stars!
Or some other Houston related one liner she couldn’t think of right now.
On the bright side, this gave her time to hang out with Geek! Who she had been seeing less and less with all the crazy DynaFlame stuff going on.
And him being the best friend In this entire universe, decided they should spend this sacred time helping Rocket get to the bottom of her Reboots whenever the two were around!
So he sat her down in their secret room, and they binge watched every single series he could think of that had a W/W relationship.
Rocket would have been all bashful if she wasn’t too busy dying every time a hot girl came up on the screen.
Dang. She really might be gay???
They had just finished watching the 100. Where these two girls met from opposite ends of the earth.
Kinda?
Clarke was from space and came down on a rocket type pod thing (lol she liked that part)
And Lexa was the leader of the people on earth.
Anyways, it seems they ended up together and lived a happy life!
(She could only assume, Geek turned the show off about halfway through season 3 episode 7)
Said it was better that way.
She would just have to agree.
Now they were currently binging this cartoon, The Owl House, probably made for younger kids, but definitely anyone could watch.
It was kinda addicting, and they basically cheered anytime Amity and Luz were in the same screen.
By then that struck a chord.
Amity would get all flustered near Luz, and would have a wave of what looked eerily similar to Rockets reboots.
“What’s she doing?” She asked, “what’s that called?”
Geek chuckled, as if he knew something she didn’t.
“People usually call it Gay panic. It’s what happens whenever you come in contact with your crush. Your brain doesn’t work and you can’t really compute.”
....
Oh NO!
Is THAT what Rockets Reboots were??? These Gay panics??? But she wasn’t gay???
Well she did find woman extremely hot and attractive at times, but did that equal her raising a rainbow flag??? She didn’t think so!
And Again with the Crush thing!!!
She absolutely refused to believe she had a crush on Dynamite or Flame. Nevertheless BOTH.
Though she couldn’t avoid the overwhelming truth forever?
Or could she????
Maybe if she kept to this loner lifestyle she could! Before she started talking to people, she never had problems like this!
Ugh she needed to clear her head.
She needed to go full Rocket Case, and ironically, needed some space.
“Hey Geek, Ily bro, but I need some time alone right now, think Ima hit the gym.” She conquered.
His brows furrowed underneath his curly hair, “The gym? Right now? But it’s at least 3:00 am. Remember, we were doing a all nighter binge?”
Wow. She did not realize how late it was.
Though now that she thought about it, that should work in her favor.
“That’s the point G,” she reminded, waking towards the door, “no one else will be their.”
He pondered this crucial information, but eventually nodded.
“All right, just be back soon, I better not fall asleep alone!” He teased.
Rocket rolled her eyes, “Oh all right, just cause I like you. I’ll try to be back in an hour.”
“Ok, Later R.”
“Later G.”
And then, she was finally alone.
She wandered the halls, the same situation being all to familiar.
It was where she was before everything happened, all those weeks ago.
But this time Big Deal was asleep, and Banshee-?
-actually she didn’t know what Banshee did at night. Probably stole souls or something creepy-
She didn’t want to think about that either.
Before she knew it, the doors to the gym were in front of her.
*Kind, solo, obsolete.*
These are the words that went through her mind as she stared at them.
She rested her forehead against the gentle kiss of white painted metal. The touch cool and comforting.
They seemed to understand her more then anyone.
People walking by, walking through them. But never taking the time to appreciate, or to truly know what they thought.
Sure, their doors, they’d say.
They can’t think.
But rocket sometimes felt like those doors.
Like everything happens around her, happens through her.
But no one truly knows what’s inside her head.
Their were people that were close.
Geek was probably the metal pole and screws, holding her up, wrapping around her in a soothing hug.
But even then, the doors and pole were two different things entirely.
Together but separate.
The same but different.
Oh man,
Rocket was now finding ways to compare herself to a door.
Was this what they call Rock bottom?
She wasn’t sure.
With a big heave she opened the doors, letting them click behind her. She scanned the area quickly, relieved to see no one training.
Of course their wouldn’t be, it’s like 3:00 am!
Or so she thought, until she glanced upwards, her breath catching in her throat as she spotted Lorena crouching at the very top of the bleachers, the moonlight illuminating her figure. Her back was turned to Rocket, so she couldn’t see her.
She immediately started to panic, eyes trailing, desperately trying to find IG from where she was no doubtedly hiding in the shadows.
To her luck she couldn’t spot her, or maybe that was her own sleep deprived vision talking.
Anyways, she was entirely set on leaving without at trace, wanting to leave Lorena be without causing some commotion.
She started taking slow quiet steps backwards—
“—It’s ok,” Atomic ant abruptly said, scaring Rocket in the process, her voice was undeniably calm, as she stared straight out the window, “You can stay Rocket.”
What?! How did she know it was her? She didn’t even turn around.
Yet again, she peered around, straining her eyes to try and find IG.
“Don’t worry, she’s not here.”
Rocket just paused, taking the information in. Before slowly walking towards the girl.
“Really? You sound like you made sure of that.”
As she got to the top level, Lorena abruptly turned, leveling her with an emotionless start that somehow spoke volumes.
“Oh,” the blonde awkwardly sputtered, “Oh I get it.”
“Do you!?”
Rocket winced, not used to the tiny girl snapping at her.
Lorena took notice and immediately stopped being as stony, “Sorry Rocket, I um, it’s just been hard.”
“Yeah, I can imagine.” She nodded towards the Latinas wrist, the bandage still ever blinding.
Atomic ant followed her gaze, her face screwing up once she met the destination.
“Ugh I hate this!” She screeched randomly, tearing at the bandage and throwing it as far as she could, “I don’t even need it!”
Rocket leaned away with bated breath, not exactly sure what to do in this scenario, Lorena had never been this angry before.
“I don’t even need it! Laura makes me wear it all the time as some warning or something to others! It’s horrible! she’s been trailing me constantly, never letting me out of her sight or interact with others! I don’t understand! I want to tell her, to say something but—“
....
She abruptly trailed off, leaving Rocket to fill in the bubbles.
“But your scared she’ll break up with you.”
Lorena glanced at her in shock and rapidly advancing horror.
“No no! Don’t worry, it’s ok,” she was quick to pacify, “I don’t judge, and I don’t care! Well, I mean I find it adorable, but it’s not like some problem! I’m rooming with Dynamite for Pete’s sake, and her and Flame are the gayest things to live!”
The tinier girl nodded, taking the information in.
“Do others know?”
Rocket winced, “How honest do you want me to be here?”
Lorenas face fell, “Is it a lot?”
“Does everyone count as a lot?”
“Oh my gosh!” The girls hand flew to her forehead, her face flushing deeply.
“It was me right? I’m the reason people know? I was to flamboyant with it all?” She started to ramble.
“Hey, hey your ok, “ Rocket was quick to quell, placing her hand on the laters thigh, “We’ve known for a while and no one, besides big deal I guess, has said or done anything to you.”
Lorena gave her a worried stare, “It’s not me I’m worried about.”
Oh, Rocket thinks she finally understood why they did what they did.
Iron giantess proclaims her feelings, or does some action, and Lorena loves/is to scared to say anything in fear she will leave her.
It wasn’t on purpose, but had accumulated over time.
“Hey Lorena?” She spoke after a few minutes, “I think you should tell IG what’s bothering you.”
“But then she’ll leave me!” Ant panicked, “I can’t have that!”
“No, I don’t think she will.”
“And why is that?!”
“Think about it,” Rocket varied, “After all this time, and everything she’s done and does for you, accepting all your quirks and behaviors, your love of K-pop, your habit of randomly jumping on people’s backs, your more weirder habit of getting stuck in places, how you love to act like and E-girl, your-“
“-get to the point.”
“Yes of course, sorry, ‘ahem’
through all of this, IG is slowly loving you more and more, do you honestly think speaking your mind or standing up for yourself is gonna chase her away? She probably thinks you want her to do this, considering you’ve said nothing.”
“I never thought of it like that.” Lorena replied after a few seconds.
She turned her head, looking straight into the blondes eyes.
“Thank you Rocket, your one of the best friends I have.”
Rocket smiled and nodded, “Of course Lorena, anytime.”
Meanwhile sirens went off in her head as she took a moment to compartmentalize that an Untouchable thought she was her best friend.
... Hey,
Maybe she should stop calling Lorena an Untouchable?
From what she’s just experienced, theirs far more to her then meets the eye. People don’t mess with her cause of IG, but that does make her nonexistent. If IG wasn’t here, or you were with AA alone, so much of her deeper feelings came out.
And dynamite isn’t just a heartthrob, and Flame isn’t just a badass! And geek especially, isn’t just a geek.
Maybe the reason rockets so isolated is cause she’s isolated everyone into very specific categories.
But theirs so much more to them then meets the eye!
“Are you?” Lorena spoke, breaking her from her train of thought.
“Hu-wha?” She choked, “Oh! Sorry ant, I was having another reboot of sorts.”
“Reboot?” The Latina questioned in confusion.
Oh yeah, she’s never seen one before.
Atomic ant just smiled and shook her head, “never mind, I was just asking, Are you?”
Ok Rocket was kinda confused.
“Um, am I what?”
Lorena flushed once again, waving her hands, “Oh! Lo siento, that’s on me! It’s just, earlier, you had stated you were rooming with Dynamite, but lately she’s said she hasn’t seen you for a couple weeks! Where have you even been?”
This time it was Rockets turn to blush.
“I-uh, well I, I guess, no , but um,” she continued to sputter out meaningless words, eyes glancing around for a last minute distraction.
They landed on the clock.
Thank HOUSTON!
“Oh my gosh! Look at the time! I’m so sorry Lorena, I told Geek I’d be back by now!”
The smirk on Atomic Ants face told Rocket her excuse was pretty see through.
“Oh whatever!” She shoved off, quickly scampering away and running out of the gym.
As she ran, Ants words rang through her head,
She hadn’t really taken the time to picture what Dynamite would feel about her basically leaving their room.
From what Lorena said, it sounded as though it was at least a bit upset.
A thought crossed her mind, making her stop a few feet away from her and Geeks secret room.
Had Rocket been selfish?
She had thought hiding away was the best viable option for her, but now, thinking back on how concerned Ant had been the first time, how concerned Dynamite and Flame had been.
Rocket wasn’t sure if she could face them yet,
But Lorenas emotionless glare was a permanent image in her mind.
That happened cause no one was there to talk to her,
Cause Rocket was too busy hiding away.
With a shake of determination, she decided.
She wouldn’t flat out go and talk to Dynaflame, but she wouldn’t hide away.
Not now, and never again.
Rocket case was no more.
She was Rocket.
And Houston, she’s gonna fix her problems