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Sheska's art -> HERE
“Are we there yet? The royal banquet is waiting for us!”
Leona’ sigh got lost in the savannah, eaten by the wind blowing in their hair, and drowned by the roar of his car’s engine. Only half an hour had passed since he and Ruggie left the hot springs. And he had been Ruggie the one who actually persuaded him to go, because the younger couldn’t wait for the special banquet held for the Rain Festival.
Leona wasn’t exactly bustling with joy at the premise of being with his family. If there were any royal occasions requiring his presence, the prince was very happy to simply disappear until festivities were over. However, Leona had promised Ruggie, not so long ago, to bring him to the palace for the next festivity, and he also gave the hyena the possibility of bringing some food to the slums.
Needless to say, Leona would’ve really wanted to punch his past self for this thought.
“An hour left” Leona answered him, and his bored eyes gazed at the scenery in front of them. Ruggie was always particularly demanding when food was involved, to the point not even a day spent in the hot springs -where countless of royal chefs were there to meet all of his desires- was enough to quiet his hunger.
“And get your feet off the dash.”
“Woah, woah, your royal highness” Ruggie, his sunglasses reflecting the burning sunset, was still deep in his vacation mode. He had been amused by the luxury of the springs, his eyes shining at the prospect of stealing some valuables, probably. Leona couldn’t blame him. That wealth was enough for him as well; for someone like Ruggie, born in poverty, the springs must’ve been like being teleported on another planet, where everyone was nice to him despite him being a hyena beastman.
How much, though, for Ruggie to stop being an idiot?
Leona gave him a look, steering abruptly just to spite Ruggie.
“Hey! Don’t come crying at me like a baby if I mess up your car! As if your royal thugs aren’t there, ready for you to clean after you! Can you tell me why you didn’t even bother to get off the mud on your wheels? Really, Leona-san: it seems to me this isn’t the car of an esteemed prince, but more an old junk straight out from a lemon market.”
Leona steered again, and then brake suddenly. Ruggie had been close to fly out of his seat.
“Ohi, Leona-san! My donut was about to fall!”
Not only was Ruggie drinking in his car, but he was only busy chewing loudly a whole tray of donuts from the royal buffet at the springs! Translated, it meant Ruggie was scattering crumbs in his car.
“Let something fall, and you’re next.”
“C’mon man, your car sucks! And now you want me to believe my donuts are the problem?!”
The only sound out there was the roar produced by the car’s engine, subjected to so much pressure only because Leona was trying to get Ruggie's feet off from his dash!
And he was so close! So close to succeeding, if only Ruggie’s cup didn’t slip, and Leona didn’t have to turn his gaze away from the road in order to limit the damages, causing him to hit a giant rock.
Some minutes later, the two were now out of the car, their clothes a mess, and their eyes a mix of despair and anger as they were looking at the poor wheel that was now completely destroyed.
Because of Ruggie.
“WHAT WILL IT BE OF MY ROYAL BANQUET?!” Ruggie cried out loud, and seemed ready to tear all of his hair.
“Leona-san! Get the spare wheel immediately! What are you waiting for?!”
On the other hand, Leona was pretty calm. He leaned against his car, with arms crossed on his chest. He was quite amused by Ruggie’s desperation. And, in turn, Ruggie gave him an annoyed look.
“I’m waiting,” Leona admitted slowly, only to see Ruggie’s anger exploding on his face.
“For you to pick up the spare wheel, and do your job.”
“Oh, so now I’m your mechanic as well?!”
“If it wasn’t for your stupid cup” Leona pointed out “I wouldn’t have run on the rock. Hurry up, time’s flying and the sun is almost setting…you know I don’t mind eating cold leftovers in the comfort of my chambers.”
With a grin on his face, Leona looked at Ruggie, and Ruggie seemed torn between punching him or simply doing the job. With a loud sigh, he chose the second option.
“Can you at least make some light with your phone? It’s getting dark.”
Leona didn’t complain. After all, he wasn’t particularly excited at the thought of spending the night in the middle of the savannah, far away from civilization.
After a brief inspection, the damage seemed more severe than they previously thought. Leona destroyed one of the front wheels, while the other three were a bit worn out.
Leona noticed Ruggie having difficulty with the tire iron thing, and decided to help him; he didn’t like seeing Ruggie struggle on something. In a remote place in his heart, Leona felt a little guilty for what he had caused. Crumbs weren’t much of a problem, after all. Also, Ruggie was right: he had a lot of people in the palace ready to clean the car for him. However…Leona didn’t like the thought of someone outside him touching his precious vehicle. At the same time, he was too lazy to clean it himself, and as coming back home trips were becoming rarer and rarer, Leona was almost able to do a quick check-up before using his car to drive far away from the palace.
“Can you please tell me where you brought this poor car?!” Ruggie cursed at some point. He was looking rather horrified at the mud in the wheels, which was still visible even though the sun was about to disappear in the horizon in some minutes.
“Talk less and work more” Leona snapped at him. Still…Ruggie was right. The wheels sucked. His entire car sucked for real.
Ruggie was about to argue back when, suddenly, a noise caught their attention.
“What in the hell was that?!”
Ruggie took the tire iron in his hands again. Leona squeezed Ruggie’s shoulder, ready to flee at the first sign of something too dangerous for the both of them.
“Should we” Ruggie murmured at him, still focused on the direction where the noise had come.
“Should we run? Hide somewhere?”
Leona stood silent. There weren’t, rationally, many creatures capable of taking him down, both in terms of physical strength and magic. No, it was better for them to stay near the car. Even Ruggie, who was far behind him in magic and brute force, was pretty agile himself, and would’ve been perfect in a match…against an old man.
A figure emerged in the light generated by the car. Leona recognized him immediately.
He was one of the old chefs at the royal family service at the hot springs.
“Your Highness” the man kneeled before Leona. Ruggie took down the tire iron.
“You forgot this” the old man gave Leona a bundle from which came the scent of grilled meat. The chef explained to them he had immediately noticed their forgetfulness, and asked some collaborators to bring it to them. The other apprentices stopped at gathering some herbs, and the old man, after seeing Leona’s car not so far away, walked to them with the food in his hands.
Leona took the bundle, confused.
“Thank you” he said to him, still a bit lost “But I didn’t order anything.”
Ruggie was quick to interfere. He snatched the bundle from Leona’s hand, and hugged him as if he was scared someone could steal it. Not even under the moon gentle light Leona missed Ruggie’s gaze full of hunger and avidity.
“I mean. There’s nothing wrong in accepting some food, especially after this kind man has come all this way for us.”
Leona only needed one look for Ruggie to start squeaking like a mouse.
Oh, he got it. Ruggie ordered the food without saying anything, because he used his money.
The chef didn’t get anything at all, and simply bowed again in front of Leona before leaving them.
Ruggie tried to sneak back to his work, but Leona was faster: he squeezed hard Ruggie’s shoulder, and the hyena froze.
“Ouch-“
“Ruggie” Leona pronounced his name only, and the younger one lowered his head.
“My wallet.”
And Ruggie’s sigh was so loud it was probably heard in the capital, too.
Leona answered him with a smirk. They soon finished the repairs, and came back to the car to reach the palace.