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“Turn the music up! That’s my jam!” Thomas suddenly yelled from the backseat, startling Remy so bad in the drivers seat that he nearly ran of the road in fright from the sudden outburst. The 4 of them, Patton, Roman, Remy, and Thomas were on a road trip. The road trip itself was already turning out to be better than the last one, as Remy and/or Roman had not yelled in frustration at either of te other two. Remy and Roman both loved them, but they... never seemed to know when to stop.
Remy shot Thomas and then Patton a glare, turning enough for Thomas to know he was being judged. Thomas had the decency to blush in embarrassment, realizing his mistake, but the moment was quickly broken by a cheerful voice from the passenger seat. Patton took no heed that he saw Remy’s expression.
“One crofter’s jam session coming right up!” Patton very cheerfully announced as he turned up the song on the radio to nearly earsplitting levels, not appearing to notice Remy’s disapproving and annoyed frown as he gritted his teeth a little, trying to ignore the now blasting music and Patton’s pun. Thomas, broken from his state of embarrassment by Patton’s pun, laughed as he started to bop his head to the music.
Roman rolled his eyes, similarly not particularly a fan of Patton’s puns as Remy isn’t, but it’s not like either of them could stop Patton punning.
Remy, slowly attempted to drown the cacophony out, but the sound of the radio was too loud. A subtle tap on his side shifted his attention to the tapping, Roman tapping out in morse code to him on his side.
T R Y T O T U R N I T D O W N. E A R S B L E E D I N G.
Remy let on no indication that he had received a message from Roman, but slowly but surely crept his hand towards the radio dial. First, dropping his right hand down to his leg, driving solely with his left hand. Remy’s next move was to rest his hand on the gear shift, which on the highway Remy definitely had no need for as the car was not stopping or parking anytime soon and also the car was automatic, so Remy had no reason other than convenience or in this case, opportunity.
Thankfully, Patton was still lost in his own world, (crofter’s) jamming out to the song along with Thomas, eyes closing every now and again. Remy, hand a few centimeters away from the dial, saw the inattention as a sign and quickly but subtly crept his hand on the volume dial, slowly lowering the volume to something quieter and more manageable, but hopefully still enough that neither of the two jam buds noticed.
Remy managed to get it well within a comfortable range before out of the corner of his eye that Patton’s head bobbing was faltering, and snatch his hand back onto the wheel as Patton opened his eyes, looking over at the radio and then at Remy. Remy couldn’t see exactly what Patton was doing, but Roman could and he held his breath for Remy, as he hoped either Patton would take mercy on the and leave the dial as it was or that Patton wouldn’t notice at all.
Roman’s latter hopes proved to be the correct one as Patton minutely but visibly shrugged and started to jam out once again, oblivious to the volume change to which Roman released the breath he had forgotten he was holding for Remy and relaxed as he could finally think again. Thomas to his right didn’t notice the volume change either, not pausing at all in his own jamming session.
Luckily, the song was over soon. Which gave Remy a chance to speak, while not being drowned out by the music.
“Hey, I love you guys were able to jam out, but can we turn off the radio? I’ve gotten a bit of a headache from it.” Remy taps his fingers on the steering wheel, praying they take him seriously.
Luckily, Patton does and gasps, hand coming to his mouth and eyes automatically tearing up as Patton realizes like every road trip how they inadvertently tortured the two ‘too nice to admit we’re annoyed/in pain/frustrated because of you’ people on the left side of the car.
“I am similarly plagued, I appreciate your enjoyment of the song, but my ears are still ringing a little from how loud it was.” Roman added, rubbing his temples to affirm the pain his headache is causing him. He almost smiles as Thomas grabs gently at his arm, face similarly distraught like Patton’s.
Patton and Thomas both shout simultaneously, “I am so sorry!”
Realizing their synchronization, there was a beat after they spoke where everything was silent before everyone, Roman and Remy included, started to laugh together. Aware of Remy and Roman’s headache, both Patton and Thomas deliberately lower the volume of their laughing.
The shared nature of their laughing kept their laughing up for longer than one of them laughing alone would’ve brought, as the laughing sustained for over 30 seconds, everyone feeding back into one another until everyone petered out and Remy saw a rest stop up ahead.
“Anyone need me to stop at the rest stop?” Remy prompts.
“Now that I’m not jamming out, I think I do need to go.” Patton pipes up.
Remy nods, “I need to as well. It’ll give us all a break from being cooped up like we have been.” Roman beamed, him being the most active of the 4, and no doubt was going to jog around while he could when they got there.
Once Remy pulled into a spot, predictably, Roman did indeed open his door as soon as he could and hopped out, jogging down the sidewalk, not towards the building, but on the sidewalk around the building.
Patton, though he said he had to relieve himself to, also didn’t make a move towards the building with the bathrooms, instead, he intercepted Remy as he exited the car, confused Remy shut the door and looked confusedly at Patton.
“Pat, what is it? You have a headache too?” Patton shook his head, approaching Remy, who he had a couple of inches on, pressing a kiss on Remy’s forehead to Remy’s astonishment, ignoring the jealous sound he heard from Thomas, who was halfway to the building already.
“Wha- What was that for?” Remy stuttered, blushing at the gesture.
Patton pulled back, a grin on his face. “I’m rewarding you for not yelling at Thomas and me. And also...” Patton again got within kissing distance of Remy’s forehead, but instead dropped his voice to a whisper, not knowing if Thomas was near enough to hear him if he spoke normally.
“...great job on lowering the volume without Thomas noticing, I’m sorry you had to deal with the loud noise for so long.”
And with that, Patton let go of his gentle hold on Remy, nonchalantly walking up to the building, leaving Remy blushing beside the car, realizing Patton had seen and realized what he had done. Shaking off the shock of the realization, Remy stepped onto the sidewalk and went to do what he actually stopped at the rest stop to do.