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“Dennis, turn down the goddamn Bryan Adam’s tape, I think the car is rattling” Mac says while wearing a worried expression.
“This car, like me, is an absolute machine Mac, there’s nothing wrong. And I’m definitely not turning it down” Dennis says and sings “Summer of ‘69” even louder to prove his point.
A few miles later, Dennis lets out the biggest sigh Mac’s ever heard when the hood of the Range Rover starts to leak smoke. The sigh is not only because his fucking car is breaking down, but also because he knows that Mac is going to gloat about being right. Dennis unbuckles his seatbelt as he pulls the car over and turns on his hazard lights.
“See Den, what did I tell you?” Mac asks. Mac isn’t gloating in a straight forward way but Dennis can hear the “told ya so” that underlines every word in Mac’s short sentence.
Dennis doesn’t say anything as he climbs out of the passenger’s seat and out into the dirt road. They’re in the middle of nowhere, fuck, of course they are. That’s just their luck, isn’t it?
Mac and Dennis had gone on this road trip to get away from the rest of the gang for a bit (plus Mac really wanted to see a real musical on Broadway), and Dennis is really unhappy that they’ve only gotten a third of the way there before the car fucks up.
Mac exits the car and stands in front of the Range Rover with his hands on his hips, face contemplative. Dennis would never tell Mac this but he loves when Mac stands like that, he looks so… gay.
“Well Den, looks like a smoke problem to me, better get that fixed pronto” Mac says, shaking his head slightly.
“No shit it’s a smoke problem! Now get out of the way, I’m going to pop the hood open” Dennis says and hip checks Mac away from the hood of the car.
Mac pouts but doesn’t move back in front of the Range Rover. Dennis, with his small arms, struggles to pull the hood of the car open.
“I think this latch is broken man, I cannot get this goddamn hood open, fuck!” Dennis yells, getting progressively more frustrated.
“Move over” Mac says, and now he does move in front of Dennis’ “amphibious exploring the vehicle” (whatever the hell that means). Dennis’ mouth moves as if to spit back some sarcastic remark but he’s silent as Mac easily pulls up the hood of the car and quirks his eyebrow up at Dennis. Dennis can’t help but to think that it’s incredibly hot that Mac is so much stronger than him (like he could just pick him up and carry him away into the sunset), but he’s also embarrassed at his own weakness.
“I totally loosened that for you” Dennis says and looks back at Mac, defiant.
“Whatever helps you sleep at night” Mac says and gives Dennis a wide grin.
“Okay, we have this stupid thing open but neither of us knows dick about engines or cars. All I can tell is that it’s fucking broken. We should probably call triple A or some shit” Dennis says as he stares down at the Range Rover, which has an increasing amount of black smoke fuming from its engine.
“I’ll call them, just sit tight” Mac says and opens up the car to grab his phone from the center console.
“I don’t know what else I would do” Dennis says sarcastically under his breath, he doesn’t think Mac even heard him.
“Don’t be an asshole” Mac says and gives him a small smile.
Okay, Mac heard him. And okay, Mac’s smile when he puts up with Dennis’ shit is the cutest thing that Dennis has probably (definitely) ever seen. Mac is on the phone for a few minutes before he hangs up and walks back over to Dennis, he looks nervous.
“Uh, hey Den, it’s gonna be a few hours since we’re so far out but we were really lucky to even get reception out here…” Mac trails off and glances at Dennis.
“A few hours? We could die in a few hours Mac!” Dennis says loudly.
“Don’t be dramatic dude, we’re not gonna die. I saw a 24-hour McDonald’s a few miles back, we could head there and eat and sit around until the car guys come” Mac says.
“If we don’t die out here, we will definitely die if we eat food from that place. Why would you even want to go there anyways?” Dennis asks.
“Well I’m hungry and it’s the only place I’ve seen that is relatively close. And why would I, specifically, not want to go there?” Mac questions.
“Because you hate when I call you Ronald McDonald and that’s exactly what I’m going to end up doing if we go there” Dennis says and pokes Mac in the chest.
“I don’t really care as long as it’s not in front of other people, and really that’s just you flirting with me so I only pretend to mind” Mac says and turns to start walking down the road, towards the McDonald’s.
Dennis scoffs and follows Mac. Despite his protests he falls into step and starts heading back the way they came, brushing Mac’s arm as he walks.
“That is so not flirting dude” Dennis says and gives Mac a stern look, it might’ve worked too if Mac didn’t find it adorable when Dennis tries to get super serious about dumb stuff.
“Oh my good God, it so is. I didn’t say that I mind it” Mac says and gives Dennis a flirtatious look.
Dennis is taken aback, Mac isn’t usually so brazen… they have definitely fooled around before but it’s not something that they ever talk about. Maybe it’s the fact that they’re all alone in the middle of nowhere with the rest of the gang so far away they might as well not even exist, or maybe Mac is just so comfortable with Dennis that he isn’t afraid of this kind of interaction anymore. Dennis decides it’s probably a little of both. Dennis is tempted to test the limits of this…
“That’s not flirting” (although Mac’s right, it definitely is) “this is flirting” Dennis says as he stops dead in his tracks. When Mac follows suit (because, of course he does) Dennis lets his hand run up Mac’s arm and his fingers roam over Mac’s bicep. Mac looks at Dennis with wide eyes and leans into Dennis’ touch.
Though this was supposed to just be a parlor trick on Dennis’ part, he finds himself leaning in further, really taking Mac in. He can smell that stupid Drakkar Noir, but he doesn’t mind it as much as he pretends to (how could he? It smells like his favorite person) and Mac is still stock still and staring at him with those big eyes.
So, Dennis makes a decision, under the huge night sky filled to the brim with stars (“way more than we ever see in Philly!” Mac had said earlier when the car was still functioning, giving Dennis an excited smile that had made his heart jump) Dennis leans in all the way and kisses Mac. Mac doesn’t hesitate, he wraps his strong arms around Dennis’ waist and pulls them together while deepening the kiss. Dennis runs his fingers through Mac’s windblown hair and tugs as they make out like a couple of teenagers on the abandoned road. And no, they’re not drunk on alcohol but Dennis would say that they’re buzzed on the night air and the fear of dying out in the wild (even though they’re only a few miles from civilization) but it doesn’t matter because the only people who will ever know about this moment are them (and they’ll both hold onto the memory with a tight grip).
They kiss for a while longer until Dennis pulls away and grins.
“That was most definitely flirting” Dennis says and tucks a piece of Mac’s hair behind his ear.
“Shut up” Mac says, his words conflict with the warm smile he gives Dennis. Mac grabs Dennis’ hand and pulls him further down the road, they entangle their fingers without a word.
They walk for a while, not talking and just enjoying each other’s presence and taking in the sounds of the night. Suddenly Mac turns to Dennis and gives him a sad look.
“Does this mean we’re gonna have to go back to Philly already?” he asks Dennis in a quiet voice.
“No, baby boy, I’ll make sure that we still get to go. If I have to buy a new fucking car then I will” Dennis says and squeezes Mac’s hand reassuringly.
Mac smiles and kisses Dennis again quickly while they walk.
“Thanks Den” Mac says and continues to pull him down the road.
About a half an hour later they walk up to the McDonald’s, as soon as they walk in the door Dennis says “ha, you!” as he points at one of those retro (and creepy) statues of Ronald McDonald. Mac gives him a glare that quickly morphs into crinkling eyes and a warm laugh that creeps up Dennis’ spine and warms his insides.
“Stop flirting with me Dennis, and buy me dinner” Mac says and bumps Dennis’ shoulder with his own. Dennis doesn’t stop flirting with him (which Mac doesn’t mind) but he does buy him dinner, they sit in a corner booth and laugh together until the triple A guys show up to take them to their car.