Core Memory (Lolix)

Chapter Five

"Don't fuel the fire, Liam." Delilah joked, continuing her work with the pancakes.

"Alright, alright," Liam then rested his chin upon his wife's head, "Now, how much longer till we can eat? I'm starving."

---

"Isaac, hun, I need you to do a favor for me-" Delilah knocked onto the door of his room.

As soon as she had knocked the first time, the door was already opened, Felix looking down at her while scratching at his neck, "What's the favor?"

"Liam seemed to have forgotten his lunch here, and he's going to go on break any moment now. Can you please bring it to him? I'll give you a few bucks so you can get yourself a treat on the way back." She said, holding the lunch bag in her hands.

"Sure, I don't mind, he's just down by the shipping docks, right?" He asked, taking the lunch from her as he disappeared into his room for a moment to grab his jacket. Rue had gotten it for him when they had gone to the shops after Felix picked him up from school. It was one of those varsity jackets for the local college. Felix had picked out the orange version of the jacket among the other colored options.

"Yeah, just down there. It isn't too far of a walk so you don't have to worry about your back."

Felix had followed her to the front door, but she had stopped him to give him the promised money before he left.

"I'll be back soon, well, if Liam doesn't keep me long." He joked lightly before walking out, shutting the door behind him.

He never really went outside on his own that much, normally having a walking buddy with him.

It was a nice day out at least, well, as nice as it could be in Chamber since it's below all the shit on Chorus or having to do with Chorus.

Holding the bagged lunch close to him, he started his walk towards the docks.

---

Locus would have been much happier if the trip back to Chorus hadn't taken as long as it did, but to avoid getting seen, he had to take the longer route.

Now he had to deal with docking the A'rynasea in the Chamber ports.

He hadn't even heard of Chamber until he had first arrived and had been greeted.

"And how long do you plan on staying here in Chamber? Just so we can have the correct payments set for you." The man he was assigned to had asked. He never did catch his first name when he had said it, only managing to hear the last name, Callahan.

"I don't plan on-"

"Hey, Liam!"

Locus froze. He hadn't even cared that he had been interrupted, hell, he couldn't even find himself to move. That voice...could it be...?

"Liammmm! You forgot your lunch! Delilah sent me to give it to you! Is old age already catchin' up to you or something?"

Callahan-well, Liam, only laughed at the male calling out to him, "That boy is really...something. Isaac! Happy that you can bless us with your presence!"

"Damn right you are!" The all familiar voice had said in a small snicker, now coming into view.

Locus couldn't remember the last time he had seen him in such casual clothing. A part of him was happy he was still wearing his helmet, or else he'd probably hold a look of being horrified and relieved at the same time.

He looked almost just the same as he had back in their mercenary days. His hair had grown a little longer on the sides, no longer buzzed, but still, rather the same. Had he always looked that small...?

"Thanks, Isaac, I owe ya one. Hope the walk wasn't too hard for you." Liam had taken the bagged lunch from the other once he was now in front of them.

Since when has he ever gone by Isaac? Much less letting civilians call him that?

"Oh please, a little walk isn't gonna kill me. However, if I had to jog here I probably would have ended up dead on the side of the road with a rotten spine."

"Felix?"
Locus had found himself questioning. Liam and Isaac had both gone silent as Felix looked to him, a confused look sketched onto his face.

"Felix? I mean...sounds familiar, but my name's Isaac. Isaac Gates." He corrected, though, now taking the time to study the mystery male, Locus had found him staring directly at the green X across the face of the helmet. "Do...Do I know you by any chance?"

"You don't....remember?" Locus muttered, his stature looking almost a bit disappointed.

"Well-You see, I kinda had an accident, I don't remember shit about myself." Felix rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"I see..."

There was a moment of awkward silence between the two before Liam leaned over to Felix to whisper something to him.

Felix's face seemed to brighten at what Liam had told him. He stepped close to Locus, to which the male was almost inclined to take a step back, a part of him still trying to convince himself that whoever he was looking at wasn't real.

An all too familiar grin spread onto the other's face, pulling Locus back to the reality in front of him.

"Why don't we hang out for a bit? I was given some money, we could walk around and talk, maybe even help me remember shit? I'll buy you something."

No. No, absolutely not. He came here for the armor, it was an in and out job. Locus was not going to- "Sure." Damnit...

Locus turned to Liam, before glancing to the A'rynasea. "I think I'll be here for a few weeks."

Liam didn't even need to say anything else to him as Locus was then pulled away from him by Felix.

"So! What do you want me to get you?"