Chapter Text
Taking my time on the ride (1)
"They're going to catch up with us! Trott drive faster! Go!" Shouted the dark haired man in the back seat, sat straining his neck round, looking out the back window of the car. "I'm not joking, they are right behind us."
"We're not racing them. It doesn't matter whether they're ahead or not." Trott, in the front spoke, casually, with one hand on the steering wheel and the other fiddling with the stereo.
"But-" spoke they man in the back again, but he stopped halfway through the sentence, not wanting to reveal more information.
The driver raised his eyebrows. "What is it, Ross?"
"Nothin'" he sighed turning around again.
"He made a bet with Sips." Spoke the third man in the car, proud that he knew this information. "That we would get to the studio before the others."
The others consisted of Duncan, Sips (who was visiting) Lewis, Simon and Tom. All of them, as well as a camera crew were headed out to do a film, another 'block and load type challenge', along with some camera crew and other production assistants. Hatfilms weren't going to be in it initially, but the sponsor had insisted, so they went along with it. They got their own car, just using Ross' BMW to get them there and back to the warehouse, as there was no chance that everyone who needed to go could fit into one vehicle.
Ross had been talking to Sips just before they left. It was a fair drive to their destination, so they both agreed something to make the time pass quicker. The competitive nature may have cone from the gaming, but the childishness nobody knew. Ross had assumed that nobody knew about the bet either, until Smith has mentioned it.
"What?" He asked. "How do you know about that?"
"You weren't exactly being secretive about it. And I can overhear conversations." Smith smirked a little, as he started playing with the stereo, and changed Trott's music to something he preferred.
"What was the bet for?" Asked Trott, now intrigued.
"A freddo." Ross whispered.
"A freddo? Really?" Trott laughed. "I'm not risking our lives so you can get a freddo."
"But freddo prices are inflating so greatly these days." Joked Smith from the passenger seat, elongating certain words as he spoke.
"Not helping, Smith." Trott shut everybody up, then concentrated on the road again, stopping steadily at the red lights. He was a careful driver, believe it or not. Ross was extremely weary, but got horrendous road rage, and Smith was just reckless. So although he was not the best driver in the world, Trott was probably the best of the three, unless it involved speeding, and hitting pedestrians wasn't illegal (because then it would be Smith)
Ross sighed as he saw the other car overtake them, Sips' smug face, as he held out an 'L' shape with his hand and stuck his tongue out, jeering at Ross.
"Fuck this Trott. Can't you just speed up? A little?" He groaned, undoing his seatbelt so he could stand up and see the other car slowly pulling away from them.
"No. Do your seatbelt up." Trott sighed, turning around. "If you wanted fast driving, you should have asked Smith. Not me, because I don't want to crash. I don't know why your not driving anyway, it's your car."
Ross thought for a second. It was his car and all, and if he or Smith were to drive quickly it could get scratched, and Trott was a better driver. But then again, it wasn't just a freddo. If Sips won he would be at it to weeks, not to mention the fact that he would put something on Twitter and the whole fandom would be at it. A few scratches on his car would be nothing compared to the embarrassment he would get if he lost.
"Can't Smith drive?" Ross asked, sitting down again and strapping himself in.
"Yeah, I'll drive." Smith smiled, standing up in his seat.
"No. Why? Why not you?" Argued Trott, turning a corner whilst indicating correctly, taking it slow.
"But Smith's faster. And we'd waste too much time with me climbing over to the driver seat." Ross stuck out his bottom lip and looked at Trott.
"Fine, next traffic light. And I want half of that bloody freddo." The smaller man grumbled under his breath, unfastening his seatbelt, but remaining seated at he carried on driving.
Smith did not remain seated, instead stood up in the low roofed car.
The red light came up a lot quicker than Trott had hoped it was. He was practically picked up by Smith and placed in the passenger seat, Ross screaming for them to hurry up.
The small brunette leaned back in the passenger seat, not bothering to strap himself in as he knew that it wasn't too far till they would end up swapping again, when Smith got too bored, or it got so dangerous that Trott couldn't allow it any longer.
That wouldn't be long it seemed, as the smallest, and seemingly at that point the most mature, felt the car speed forward
"Smith this is ridiculous," Groaned the smallest man, "just slow down a bit, at least... Please."
Smith gritted his teeth. "Fuck off, Trott. Why are you such a kill joy?" He growled. And accelerated even more, turning off the route that Trott had so carefully planned.
"Yeah Trott! Why are you such a Twat!" Screamed the youngest man, joining in with the insults that were so often given. "We'll show Sips! Look how far ahead we are now! Fuckers!"
Trott groaned again, but didn't comment, sending a text to Lewis in the other car.
'Just a warning, Sips and Ross have made a bet to see who will get to location first. Thought I'd let you know'
Lewis' reply was swift, and it was obvious he also had concerns.
'I thought it was odd that Sips kept telling Tom to go faster. Thanks for letting me know.'
Another text came through seconds after.
'Drive carefully too. Don't damage the car.'
Trott smiled, and typed back a reply, swaying from side to side as Smith took sharp corners.
'Would like to be but Smiths driving now. Think I'll take over in a bit, make me it a bit safer.'
Trott put his phone in his pocket, then turned round to Ross again.
"You happy now?" He groaned.
Ross smiled.
"I still don't think this is safe..." Trott frowned back at him, until the car made another turn, and Trott's small form was pushed against the window. He composed his self, shifted his fringe form his face, then moved to look at Ross. "If Smith breaks your car I'm not paying. And you can talk to the police too."
"Calm down Trotty. Don't get your flippers in a twist, we'll be fine."
"Yeah, he's right Trout. We're nearly there anyway. It will only take us like five minutes to get there." Ross added.
"I just think that this isn't the best idea, couldn't you slow down a bit. We must be way ahead of them now."
"Can't take that risk Trott." Smith smiled, slamming his foot on the brakes as a light flashed red.
"Look you've stopped now, I'm really not sure we should be doing this. Anyway, Ross, what about speeding fines." The brunette chewed on his lip.
"We can deal with speeding fines. There's no cameras round here anyway."
"Smith!" Trott almost screamed as the tall man accelerated once again. "Just slow down, please."
"Trott you're just making it more dangerous by talking to him!" Ross explained.
"No I'm not, Ross, you're making it more dangerous with this stupid bet and you're driving too fast!" Trott argued standing up a little in his seat, despite the shaking of the BMW.
"Trott, stop spoiling the fun." Ross groaned.
"It's not fun, it's dangerous. This is so stupid. You're being fucking stupid again! And I'm fucking fed up with it."
"Well maybe we're fed up with you being such a mum all the time!"
"Whose going to mum you if I don't, then. I let you tease me and insult me all the time, then I edit the videos and I stay up sorting things out. And I do all this for you two, sort out dates. I set up our fucking channel. I was the one that talked to Lewis, got this partnership. I did all that. And you complain that I'm killing your fun, because I don't want you speeding round Bristol before we have a day of filming!" Trott was practically shouting back at Ross, who sat in silence, surprised at this reaction, a point that would only be reached if Trott was really tired, or had been provoked for too long.
This apparently was too long.
"Look Trott, if you want to drive, you can." Smith slowed the car down a little, realising that they had really upset their friend.
"Yeah. If it's upsetting you that much." Ross agreed, looking sheepishly at his friend.
Trott didn't answer. Just turned around and stared out of the window. "Sorry. I overreacted." He spoke after a few silent seconds.
"Do you want to drive?" Ross offered, "If that makes you feel better. I guess it's safer, no offence Smith-"
"None taken. Traffic lights again?" Asked the tall man. "Trott?"
The smallest man looked almost close to tears as he stood up in his seat. "Thanks. I'm so stupid, I just-"
"It's alright. You get agitated. We get it. We were driving too fast anyway."
"Yeah, and we'll have beaten the others too, we are way ahead of them." Ross smiled.
Trott got his phone out his pocket again, then went to text Lewis once more.
'We're okay now, we've slowed down and I'm gonna drive again. See you there.'
Smith slowed the car to a halt, and pulled over at the pavement. "Quick them, swap over." He jumped over the seat, in an awkward swap with Trott, who sat down. Neither of the men in the front bucked their seat belts, thinking it inconvenient, as they could only be a minute or so before they got to the warehouse.
"Right, let's go then. We all happy?" Trott smiled from the front.
"Yeah." Smith sat back on his seat, and took a look out of the window.
"Yep." Ross smiled at his friend that was upset. "You know we're going to have to tease you and that when we get there?"
Trott smiled, "I know. I just- I'm sorry. " the brunette signalled, then pulled out onto the road.
"It's fine Trott, Shall we just forget this all happened?" Smith advised.
"Yeah, let's. " Trott looked in the back mirror. "But I still want some of that Freddo."
"Fine." Ross groaned, laughing as he did.
"On a serious note, Trott. I don't want to upset you. Everyone appreciates what you do, and you're the glue that holds Hatfilms together."
"Really?" Trott turned his head as they went towards the cross roads. "You think that?"
"If course. I don't know what we'd do without you. " Smith smiled, and the two men in the front smiled at each other. But only for a second.
At 7:43 on that Wednesday morning a black BMW containing three young men crossed through a red light, and was hit on the left side by another car traveling in the opposite direction.