Chapter Text
Despite his earlier worries that he might not quite fit in or mess up, Drip found that he actually worked rather well with his new team. During missions, they were almost a polar opposite from their normal state: Focused, professional, efficient.
And very good at including a more or less stranger into their tactics as if they’d known me forever…
And as soon as the missions were over, it was back to being all about fun. There was a ton of things that could be done in the park, aside from pranking, and Drip quickly found he enjoyed their little escapades quite a bit. Especially those that were of a kind he would never have thought of himself. Like climbing down a waterfall. But if he had to pick one activity that he liked best, it was racing. At first, he’d been skeptical, considering that none of them were built to race and they didn’t exactly have matching potential in that regard. Dynamite had promptly made it a team-training exercise to get him to do it anyway and he had been more than pleasantly surprised.
Racing is awesome with them! And it’s not even about winning, it’s all about the fun you have on the way!
He loved it like he loved little else, the thrill of it was exhilarating. The others seemed to feel much the same, which led to them racing almost every other day, if not more often. The other occupants of the base were less amused by the matter, least of all Maru who had to hammer out all the little dents they got while at it.
I don’t know why he gets so mad… Half of these injuries we’d get from the next fire anyway and it’s not like they’re life-threatening or anything.
“Hey Drip, what’s up with the frown?”
Blackout pulled him from his thoughts, managing to look both concerned and amused. Apparently, he’d been spacing out looking rather grim at the thought of their slightly overprotective savior.
“Oh, nothing. Just thought that it’s a beautiful day to race.”
“Beautiful day to get beat you mean.”
Dynamite smirked, wiggling her eyebrows in a clear invitation.
“FIRST ONE AROUND THE BASE AND AT THE CLIFF WINS!”
And before any of them could really process what he’d said, Avalanche was already speeding.
“Hey, that’s cheating!”
Pinecone was hot on his tail and before he knew it, Drip was moving. It had rained a while ago, making the tarmac extra slippery but also that much more exciting, especially during the turns where it was always a near thing to stay in control. Drip was elated. So elated in fact, that he lost focus for a second, just as he was about to turn to the cliff. As if in slow motion he felt himself spin out of control, right towards the drop. He instinctively squeezed his eyes shut, too caught in the moment to even scream.
“Watch out!”
CLANG!
And there was the scream. Instead of falling, he’d hit something at full speed, drawing a yelp from him and a pained curse from whoever had jumped in to keep him from falling to his possible death.
Oh crap… I know that voice.
Cracking his eye open to get a look at his savior confirmed it. There stood Cabbie, face scrunched up in pain and a vaguely skid steer digger resembling dent in his side. He looked royally pissed.
“What.Was.That?”
His voice was disbelieving, the kind of calm you got when your brain hadn’t quite caught up to what was happening yet.
“A race?”
He really didn’t want to anger the big brute who had apparently taken it upon himself to play protector for them. He was the unofficial dad of the team and everybody seemed to have accepted him as such. Even Drip found himself quietly referring to Cabbie as Teamdad in his head. And like any father, caretaker or even simple teammate would after pulling a stunt like that – now that his brain seemed to have caught up – Cabbie exploded.
“What in Chrysler's name were you thinking? Do you have a death wish?! That fall could have killed you!”
“But it didn’t?”
“That’s because you didn’t fall you idiot!”
Drip felt himself cowering out of instinct. He was by no means a stranger to harsh lectures. He just... Hadn’t been subjected to one since joining the team. And seeing the normally always so calm plane blow up like that? Drip felt something inside him break.
Maybe they were right at the academy after all… Maybe I am too reckless for being a firefighter…
It didn’t matter that the firefighting hadn’t been a part of this. On the contrary, nearly dying during your downtime was infinitely worse.
“Are you even listening?! Drip!”
Drip stayed silent, eyes cast down. He didn’t dare look up to see the disappointment on Cabbie’s face, didn’t dare to see the rightful anger his team was likely sporting. Never mind that they had been doing the same thing. They hadn’t nearly died… The angry yelling somehow dulled in his mind until it was nothing more than a blurred whisper. But even that became unbearable as shame ripped through Drip and filled his core until he couldn’t take it anymore.
Stupid!
And with that, he turned around and sped off, mindful of the still slippery road. He didn’t really care where, as long as he got away. He distantly heard Cabbie yelling that they weren’t done discussing this and only drove faster. He only stopped when he had reached the Geysir. Somehow, he found it calming.
Reminds me of myself… Calm until something sets it off and then it goes sky-high…
A self-deprecating smile crept on his face as he stared at the quiet hole in the ground.
Guess I should have put a lit on it.
But the point was that he hadn’t and now it was going to cost him. Dearly.
“Mind telling me what all that was about?”
“Argh!”
At the sudden, cool and stern, all too familiar voice of his chief, Drip nearly fell off the stone he was perched on.
Come to get rid of me so soon?
The thought filled him with dread, but then again, he’d always been warned it would end like this. His instructor had never missed an opportunity to make sure Drip knew that.
“Whoa there, don’t go all teary-eyed on me. Nothing happened.”
“Yeah right… So you haven’t come to kick me out?”
Even to himself, he sounded bitter.
“I… Have not. I merely came to see if you were alright. We can’t have our guys going around getting injured.”
Drip winced but allowed the smallest flicker of hope to bloom inside his core. Maybe he wasn’t doomed after all.
“Care to explain what brought you here?”
After careful consideration, Drip shook his head. He wasn’t exactly keen on telling his chief anything he might not already know and risk him changing his mind about the firing.
Wouldn’t put it past you. It’s not like I’m part of your inner circle that you care about. And it’s better a reprimand than the other option…
To his surprise, Blade nearly sighed, regarding him with a somewhat less cold, almost understanding look.
“Look, whatever happened, as a Chief, as long as nobody got hurt, it’s none of my business. As a friend, however, I haven’t seen Cabbie so worried and mad in a long time. He was practically fuming. Unless you want to completely ruin your relationship with your drop plane, I suggest you go and apologize before he decides to hold a permanent grudge against you.”
Drip simply stared at him, completely flabbergasted at this show of almost friendliness.
“Don’t look so surprised. If you managed to get into a permanent fight, as a chief, I’d have to deal with the fallout. Not in the mood for that, ever.”
Slowly Drip nodded, not sure what else to do, especially as his chief’s stare turned a little harder at his last statement.
“Did I make myself clear?”
“Crystal.”
“Good. Now go and fix this before I have to comfort a distraught would-be father through the night.”
With that, the helicopter turned around, starting his rotors and taking off, leaving Drip to stare after him, not quite believing what had just happened yet.
Did he just… Did he just make a joke?! No way… The others will never believe this!
As the shock slowly faded, the guilt seeped back in, reminding him of why he had fled in the first place.
Guess I better go and apologize…
He just hoped the big plane wouldn’t be too mad at him. He didn’t seem like the type, but with what had just happened with Blade, he wasn’t sure if he could trust his character judgment anymore. When he reached the base, Cabbie was in his hangar, looking miserable.
Oh dear…
“Cabbie? Are you alright?”
His voice was hesitant as he slowly entered the hangar, prompting the plane to give him a surprised look.
“Am I… Yes, I’m fine. Got Maru to take care of that dent.”
“Right… Look, Cabbie, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for being reckless, I’m sorry for denting you and I’m sorry for running off… I know you’re probably mad at me, and I can understand if you no longer want me on the team, seeing how I’m a liab-“
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down there. You think I want you booted out? For this?”
“Well, isn’t that why you were so mad?”
Drip found that his voice had gotten quieter and quieter and he hated that it portrayed his silent insecurities. It was the last thing he needed at that moment.
“What? No! I was mad because you nearly got hurt and I care about you guys way too much to ever let that happen again if I can help it! Fuck, I’m just glad I got there in time and that nobody else spun out of control… Look, Drip, I’m just worried about you. I’ve lost enough people for a lifetime and then some. I can’t lose anyone else, to a game no less! I’m sorry for acting out. I guess I was just… Shocked that it got this far.”
Cabbie looked at him contritely, face twisting into an apologetic smile.
“I never meant to scare you off…”
Drip returned his smile, if a bit wrily.
“I never meant to almost fall off a cliff…”
“Oh come here.”
And with that, Drip found himself pulled into the bigger plane’s wings, tucked against his side. At first, he tensed, unsure of what to expect but as nothing else happened, he slowly began to realize what was happening.
Cabbie is… Hugging me.
Of all things to happen in this conversation, getting pulled into a hug had been what he’d least expected. But it felt nice. Comforting, especially now. He hadn’t realized how much he had missed cuddling ever since leaving his creators’ home. Now, with the warmth of another body seeping into his own, Drip felt something deep inside him untangle. And when he saw Cabbie smile down at him, looking relieved at the physical reassurance that his charge was safe, he finally felt the last remains of dread being washed away. The feeling only intensified when the rest of the Jumpers appeared in the doorway, quickly transforming the hug into a cuddle pie with Drip in the middle of it. He hadn’t felt so calm in a long time as he allowed himself to truly relax. Not even the flash of a camera and the silent muttering about forgiving them their stupidity just this once, could pull him out of the warm feeling that had settled around him.