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Nezha would do a lot of things for Rin, including risking his life. Therefore, when Rin asked if he could supervise her practice drives, he made (nearly) no hesitations.
Nezha knew exactly what horrors he was signing up for by agreeing to teach Rin to drive. This girl was a walking time bomb, which, combined with one of the leading causes of death, the list of possible threats to their safety was endless. But he was feeling like a saint today, and he didn’t feel like being complicit in allowing any driving instructors to get beat up or have to bail Rin out of jail.
Kitay refused to teach Rin, citing the last time he tried to teach Rin how to ride a bike, they ended up with a mangled bike, three crying children, and scratches all over his arms from trying to release Rin’s grip on their mother’s hair. And Venka, well, was definitely out of the picture. Nezha shuddered imagining the chaos that would ensue if Rin operated heavy machinery while on the brink of detonation from Venka’s provocation. Nezha knew better not to poke the bear, and therefore he was confident he would be the best driving companion.
Which is why the moment he sat in the passenger seat next to Rin, he explicitly told her to not worry because he wouldn’t yell at her. He was going to be the best teacher she’d ever seen.
“Sure,” Rin rolled her eyes as she checked her mirrors. Nezha, having driven the car before her, had the seat and mirrors all adjusted for someone half a foot taller than her. Something in Nezha’s chest bursts when he sees Rin raising the height of the driver’s seat under her, slowly elevating her.
Nezha giggled at this sight, earning a sharp glare from Rin.
She put her hand on the gear shift, pressing the button on the side to slide the lever into drive, before Nezha caught her hand.
“Are you forgetting something…?”
Rin frowned, “What? You want music?”
Nezha forces a groan down his throat, opting to take a breath instead.
“You haven’t put the keys in the ignition.”
This was going to be a long drive.
As soon as they set off, it took Nezha about two minutes to come to terms with the fact that he was inside a vehicle, a potentially life-threatening situation, being controlled by someone who was prone to impulsive outbursts.
The beginning of the drive was smooth, save for the fact that she nearly floored the gas immediately after shifting into drive.
“Nice, now we’re going to take a right and exit the parking lot,” instructed Nezha, to which Rin responded by flipping the turn signal on. Nezha beamed (the bar was low).
“Okay, yes, turn right here—!” Nezha pointed to the exit before he nearly went into cardiac arrest, clutching the arm rest. Rin hadn’t stopped to look before rolling onto the road, jerking her and Nezha forward at the blare of a long, agitated honk from the oncoming car.
“Oops,” said Rin, casually, before slowly backing up.
“Now,” Nezha said after collecting himself, “what were we supposed to do before exiting the parking lot?” Remember, Yin Nezha. Don’t poke the bear.
“That car was coming super fast, I didn’t see it,” Rin retorted, “and don’t talk to me like I’m five.”
“This road is a 25, and you didn’t stop before turning.”
Rin huffed before looking to her left and making the turn at the confirmation of no approaching danger.
Nezha couldn’t tell if her cheeks were burning from anger or embarrassment, but he liked to think it was the latter.
“Rin, slow down.” Nezha was now gripping the handle above him, hoping that these airbags weren’t faulty. “You’re going 20 over.”
Rin scoffs, “Can’t take a little speed?”
“I can, but you would fail your driving test.”
Rin scowled, slowly releasing the gas, “What a snooze.”
“Rin, you’re driving in the bike lane.”
“What? Why the hell do bikes get their own lane?”
“Stop. STOP. RIN.”
“You said you wouldn’t yell!”
“I kind of have to if you’re about to harm a living being!?”
Rin rolled her eyes, “I’m not going to hit that old lady.”
“Nice turn, now after that stop sign you’re going to keep going straight.” Nezha let go of the handle, feeling like he could relax back in his seat. They had gone through a few stop lights, made some lane changes, and besides almost getting a crick in his neck from her abrupt stops, he couldn’t help but grin at how well she was doing.
“Remember, press the brake gently, ease off the brake a little before fully stopping.”
“Yeah, yeah, I got it,” Rin brushes him off, continuing to cruise down the neighborhood.
“Rin.”
“What?”
“That was the stop sign. You just missed it.”
“Oh. Oops."
Nezha thought he felt less worried about both of them losing their lives that day, but apparently he spoke too soon.
Sitting at stop lights were the only times when Nezha felt like his head wasn’t spinning. Nezha inhaled as much air as his lungs could take before releasing an exasperated breath.
“You’re getting angry,” Rin complained.
“No, deep breathing is good for you. You should try it some time,” said Nezha, lips curving upward as he watched her hands gripping the steering wheel, laser focused eyes and furrowed brows about to burst through the windshield from how close she was sitting.
Unconsciously, he lifted his thumb to her mouth, pulling at her chin to release her lip from her teeth’s hold.
Rin shot a glare at him, but the fact that she didn’t push him away brought a smirk to his face.
“Eyes on the road, Rin.”
“You’re distracting me.”
“Even when there are distractions, you need to stay alert,” Nezha pointed out, turning away smugly.
“You suck.”
“It’s green.”
When they finally returned to the parking lot, safe and stationary, Nezha was never more eager to get back behind that wheel.
He stepped out of the car, putting his hands on his lower back to bend into a relieving stretch. Rin takes this chance to jab him in the stomach.
“Hey!” Nezha jolts, “What was that for?”
“For yelling when you said you wouldn’t,” Rin scowls. Nezha had a hard time taking her seriously when she stood so close, craning her neck upwards to meet his eyes with that stupidly endearing pout.
Nezha sighs, “I’m never doing this again.”
“What? Why not?” Rin crossed her arms. “I need someone in the car so I can practice and pass this exam.” Nezha cups her cheeks in his hands, squishing her frowning face.
“I’ll just drive you everywhere, then you won’t need a license.”
“I'm not going to play passenger princess,” Rin huffs, swatting his hands away, “I want to drive myself places.”
“I know,” Nezha grins, “but I value my life.”
Nezha would do anything for Rin, but he wasn’t going to go through that nightmarish hour again if he didn’t want a heart attack. And certainly he didn’t want Rin driving him to the ER.
Rin tapped her chin, sorting through ideas of how to coerce Nezha into putting them both in danger again. Nezha knew this, and he wouldn’t crack.
“I’ll kiss you if you practice with me”
But Nezha was a simple man.
“Okay.”