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Party Poison hummed, tapping their hand against the steering wheel. Hopefully, things would go well and go quick on the ride back because they did need to get back soon because Kobra had come down with some illness that none of them knew anything about and they needed the medicine that they’d gotten from Dr. Death in the backseat and everything was stressful, and they were hiding secrets from the other Killjoys which they didn’t like to do and it wasn’t like they wanted to keep it a secret, it just wasn’t time but also it wasn’t ever the time and there probably wouldn’t be a good time and out here in the zones any love was fine and Ghoul said that they should talk about it, and the radio just cut out.
“Pois, you’re thinking.” Jet Star said.
“I’m always thinking. That’s how you don’t die.” Party said, almost automatically because it was true but they had been lost in their thoughts and that wasn’t good while they were driving.
“I know, but you’re distracted.” Jet Star said, sounding like he was turning his head to look at them so that they’d talk.
“I know, Jet.” Party sighed.
“It’s probably not that bad. I mean, Dr. Death did have medicine for it and he told us not to worry about it and just to make sure his fever doesn't spike too high, so He’ll be fine. Kobras not gonna get ghost to getting sick, he'll make the Witch bring ‘im back just to ghost us to and take us with him.” Jet Star said. “There’s other things on your mind though.”
Party hummed in acknowledgement but not giving Jet Star an answer. They’d talked with Ghoul about this but this was so so different because telling Jet Star meant truly telling Jet Star that they’d been falling in love with him, and that was something they'd been avoiding for a long time because they didn't want to fuck things up. Ghoul had told them to just talk to Jet Star and tell him because it would probably end fine but it was difficult because either they were out and about where driving was not the best place to confess or not alone because either Ghoul or Kobra were with them, and they just didn’t know what to do.
“You gotta tell me something, don’t you?” Jet Star asked.
“Well- yes, but I don’t- It’s not a good time.” Party forced out as they passed a sign that said they were entering zone 4 and that it was authorized personnel only because the climate could kill someone but they’d all gotten rather used to it, and it wasn’t that bad, It was all just BL/ind propaganda to keep people in Bat City. Besides, there were never any authorized personnel out here.
It’s never a good time to tell Jet Star about this.
“So, it’s something about me?” Jet Star asked, seeming half-confused in his tone of voice.
“I mean- yeah.” Party admitted. “It’s not anything bad though, I promise.”
“Wait, what is it?” Jet Star asked, and Party could hear him moving in his seat to look at Party. “I’m curious now, tell me.”
“It’s not a good time.” They tried to say, looking out the window at the winding desert roads and half-dead cactuses flying by. Well, the few that were alive because it hadn’t rained in quite a few weeks now.
“No, It’s not. Tell me.” Jet Star said.
“No- Jet, it’s really not a good time, I promise.” Party tried to say.
“I wanna know, tell me.” Jet Star said, a grin in his voice that made Party’s heart melt.
A moment of hesitation, before they said, “It’s not… It’s not something- Destroya, I- Okay, you cannot go all Witch on me when I say this, okay?”
“Okay.” Jet Star agreed.
There was a moment of silence before Party whispered out, “I’ve been falling in love with you.”
Another moment of silence before Jet Star said, “Destroya, I thought that you were going to say that you hated me or something.”
Party barked out a laugh, “Quite the opposite actually. Yeah, I’ve… I didn’t want to tell you because everythings just been getting worse with BL/ind and The Girl and then I talked to Ghoul and he says that I should tell you but I wasn’t- I didn’t want to fuck things up with you because everythings always a rush out here and I didn’t want to rush with you.”
“I don’t think you could ever fuck up with me.” Jet Star said.
Party glanced at Jet Star even though they were driving and they really shouldn’t look at Jet Star, but Jet Star was looking at them with a soft expression behind the blue mask covering the top of his face, eyes peering in the eyes holes, almost like Party was a work of art. They kept glancing between Jet Star and the road, trying to see how he was reacting while also watching the road so they wouldn’t crash on the twisting highways around things that were no longer there.
“Pois, keep your eyes on the road.” Jet Star said.
“You- You know- You’re staring at me, and you look all wistful and-” Party said, glancing at Jet Star again, feeling their face begin to burn like the blazing morning sun was hitting them.
“Well, maybe that’s because I like you too.” Jet Star said, sounding like he was trying to kill Party by using as little words as he could.
“You serious?” Party asked, glancing at Jet Star because they couldn’t just stop.
“Yeah.” Jet Star said.
Party glanced at Jet Star wanting nothing more than to pull the trans am to the side of the road, and kiss Jet Star right then and there. That was something that they’d wanted to do for months and Jet Star had just wanted that the entire time? Maybe even since they met a few years ago when They and Kobra got out of the outskirts of Bat City. Jet Star had liked them the entire time? They could’ve had this the entire time? Life was fleeting out here in the zones and romance was one of those quick, quick things, but Party hadn’t wanted to rush with Jet Star which is why they waited and waited until it became a problem and Ghoul asked about it.
Something hit the car, shattering a hole in the windshield and Party ducked, frantically glancing in mirrors to see what it was that had hit them, and possibly who had shot at them. He prayed it wasn’t some draculoids or even worse some Crows, but that was definitely a ray gun blast. They’d definitely just been shot at. It was either some dracs or some rogue Killjoys.
“Shit, Jet, you got your Ray Gun?” Party asked, trying to figure out where they needed to turn to get away from them and keep them away from the diner.
“Yeah, yeah, hold on. I don’t see where they are.” Jet Star said, pulling his ray gun from his side, trying to see from wherever they were.
Party heard the sound of a car peeling out of the desert behind them and cursed. They should've noticed that and yet they hadn't. How had they not noticed that? It’s because they weren’t paying any attention to their surroundings. Damn, all of this. Glancing in the rearview mirror, they saw that there were only two dracs sitting in the car behind them. The one on the passenger side had the window rolled down and had a Ray gun pointed at them, aiming and clearly trying to blast them again and probably ghost them. Their heads had a lot of money on them and going up to Dr. Deaths was never supposed to have Dracs in the way.
Jet Star turned to look behind them as a shot hit the back window, and he ducked as it hit the back of his headrest, and flew over the top. Jet Star rolled down the window, and Party caught sight of a turn up ahead, pressing on the gas, sending them flying down the road at climbing speeds, reaching almost 100.
“Going Right.” Party said, getting ready to swerve to the right. It would send them in the wrong direction but gave Jet Star a better shot even if they definetly shouldn’t be doing that at this speed.
Jet Star didn't respond, but had his ray gun ready and when Party swerved onto the other road, tires screeching, window facing the other car, watching as Jet Star aimed the ray gun out the window and pulled the trigger a few times, possibly aiming, possibly shooting randomly with the speed. Either way, they heard the car begin to swerve around, but slow down and honestly, that was all they needed to know. Either outcome of the dracs being unable to follow or the dracs dying was nice. They’d prefer if they were just unable to follow them but they knew that if they lived that meant that they could report back on what they were doing.
Jet Star leaned back into the car and rolled up the window again, putting his ray gun back where it had been and glancing behind his seat to see the bullet hole there. Party glanced at Jet Star and tried to figure out if any of the blasts had hurt him. He really didn’t want Jet Star to be hurt.
“None of them got you, right?” Party asked.
“Nope, nope, I’m fine.” Jet Star said, checking over himself as they drove out towards somewhere. They didn’t even really know where they were going honestly but as long as they could find signs for what zone they were in, they’d be fine.
“Good.” Party said.
There was silence for a few minutes as Party gradually took them down to a speed that was better for the gas, processing everything before Jet Star said, “So, you’re in love with me?”
“Yeah, pretty much.” Party admitted.
“Pois, you’re one of the weirdest people I’ve met.” Jet Star said with that tone in his voice that told them Jet Star meant it fondly, and really meant it in some sort of loving way.
“I really wanna kiss you right now.” Party said, seeing a sign, and slowing down more so they could turn because they couldn’t get to the diner from here but they could get to Cherri’s place and they could get home from there.
“So, do it.” Jet Star said, and Party had never hit the brakes harder. “Without crashing.”
Party looked at Jet Star, who was looking back at them, and he’d pushed up his mask at some point, so it was just Jet, just Jet who Party had been in love with for months. Jet who was staring at them like they had hung the stars in the sky because it was so easy to work in tandem with him because it was like their brains were connected. So they moved, catching Jet Star’s chin in their hands, feeling the stubble beneath their hands, and pulling him in for a kiss.
Jet Star was warm beneath their hands, beneath their lips and everywhere. The air was warm now that they weren’t rushing down the highway but that may be because the wind wasn’t hitting them and Party’s face was probably as red as their hair because holy shit they got to kiss Jet Star and it was just as wonderful as they’d hoped. Jet Star pulled away first, resting his head against Party’s forehead.
“We should go back.” Jet Star murmured.
Party blinked open their eyes and nodded, but not before kissing Jet Star again just because they could. They really did need to get back soon. Ghoul would get worried if they were gone too much longer, and Kobra really needed the medicine. Party started driving again, but not before Jet Star laced his fingers within Party’s, letting them hold his hand on the drive back to the diner.