Work Text:
On their day off, Follo wanted to take Rudo out for a trip in the nearest town. He found the younger boy in his room rummaging in his reusable objects pile. It was a habbit of his, to try and look for things that could be fixed. He didn’t look happy to be interrupted.
„What’s in it for me?” Rudo inquired, following him down the hallway.
„A snack of your choice,” Follo replied playfully, taking advantage of his weakness „A. SINGLE. ONE.” at the same time aware of the bottomless pit he could transform into when it came to sweets. That was all the motivation Rudo needed, he didn’t have to be told twice. Without hesitation he dashed past Follo, racing towards the garage.
Once the door opened he pointed out „There is nobody else here. Who’s gonna drive us??”
„Yours truly!” After joining the Cleaners, Gris insisted that supporters have to be able to provide aid for the givers with any possible task and he also needed to obtain this skill. A few lessons later he practically WAS capable of driving a car, though „The adults here can be too considerate sometimes. I haven’t touched the steering wheel since I finished my lessons.”
Ignoring his second thoughts, Rudo went for his usual seat when the chipper voice asked „You don’t wanna ride in front? It’s just the two of us anyway.” His eyes widened in surprise, the same sparkle filling them as the moment he had first been asked to be friends. That seat was typically reserved for an adult. A mix of excitement and uncertainty coursed through him. Was he really allowed to do it?
„Here, take this one. Be my right hand today.” His wrist was gently pulled and his heart followed suit. People on the Ground often disregarded personal space, Follo included. He usually acted friendly toward everyone, joining lighthearted conversations and sharing casual smiles, but this type of gentle touch was a new side of him. He had encountered physical contact before, it was a simple gesture, one he shouldn’t have been surprised by yet still felt significant.
He climbed into the car, fastening his seatbelt as he waited. The engine remained silent, whilst his pulse raced wildly. Was it excitement, anxiety, or something entirely different? One thing was certain—he didn’t care where they were headed, what they would do, or when they’d return—from this angle Follo's posture was different. The seriousness with which he adjusted his seat, mirrors, and steering wheel, meticulously testing if he can reach the pedals, checking the cabin air filter and turning on the radio, Rudo took it all in.
Sitting by his side, huh...
"You comfy?"
He realized it was a spot he had no intention of giving up.
„Heh, never better.”
From the moment the key turned until they arrived at their destination, Rudo hadn’t been watching the road at all.
---
Under typical circumstances, Gris was the one to chauffeur them around. Unfortunately, he had sustained a minor leg injury during last mission, so he wasn't able to accompany team Akuta today. Of all days.
The cleanup place was close to a heavily polluted area. The team departed early thinking it won’t last long, however, now the only source of light, the faint glow coming from the thick grey clouds that enshrouded the sky, was dimming. Everyone was exhausted from the particularly demanding job, but not Follo, not this time. He missed the chance to show off many times before, it was time to seize the opportunity. He offered to take the wheel and get them home before nightfall. Not one to shut down the boy’s enthusiasm, Enjin agreed „Alright, let’s get going.”
As they gathered near the vehicle, he reached for the door of the passenger seat, his movement casual. Before he could swing it open, a short figure expertly slipped past him through the opening and sat down. Enjin raised his eyebrows in surprise, a mixture of amusement and irritation in his voice „What are ya' doing, Rudo?”
„You always sit next to Gris whenever he's driving!” the young one retorted, grabbing the still-open door and closing it with a loud bang.
„And he sits up front whenever I'm driving too, what's your point??” That was how things went and no one dared to change it. They weren’t always the only adults supervising a group of kids during missions. If Gris was around, suddenly Tomme would be busy with her report, Bro would look out for Dear, Delmon would excuse himself to sit in the far back and Tamsy couldn’t care less. They had been partners for so long, it was completely normal.
He then attempted to reclaim his spot only to face resistance. Rudo’s gloved fingers curled around the handle stubbornly „Gris isn’t present. Follo’s doing the driving. It's MY turn to sit here.”
„Pffft, yeah, right.” What is this kid even saying? Enjin huffed „Just because he's behind the wheel that doesn’t make you co-captain. Open the door. We can't sit around forever.”
„Go in the back next to Zanka or something, I’m taking the front seat today!”
Enjin was tugging with all his might, his patience wearing thin. „It’s your precious friend' first time navigating on unfamiliar terrain, hnnnnnnnghhh!!” He shifted his weight, neither the brat nor the door handle were giving in. “What if he gets lost?!”
„No worries, I remember where we came from–”
„Hush it, loverboy!”
„E-excuse me?!” Follo was caught off guard.
„Oh, I was told about your little date the other day. Remember? You asked Semiu for the keys. Real smooth.”
Rudo took advantage of the second Enjin was distracted and locked the door from the inside. Then fell silent. Wait… Date? Looking up again, he stared at Enjin from the other side of the glass as if the man grew another head. THAT WAS A DATE?!
„Did you just lock the door on me?!”
Right. It wasn’t the moment to dwell on that revelation. He needed to hold on to his spot. Time to get back on track.
„Cooome ooon, Rudooo. Think of this logically. It's crucial for a beginner to have someone experienced next to them.”
„D-d-don't shift the focus! This i-isn't about h-h-him, it's about you hogging the f-front seat!” a pathetic lie.
„OHHO, this is ABSOLUTELY about Follo! You wouldn’t insist on it if it was anyone else. And he needs guidance!! You think knowing the basics is enough?!”
„Gris already taught me everything. We practiced a lot. You know that, Enjin.” Follo tried to calm the spirits again, afraid they were going to break something.
„That’s exactly what worries me! He taught you the nice and slow driving. We'll all gonna fall asleep and crash in the middle of nowhere; oooh I can totally see it!” His eyes bulged comically at the vivid picure of a catastrophic scenario. „Nu-uh, no way, ’not having that.”
„If I survived falling from the Sphere then I’ll survive a car crash too.” Rudo shot back with the kind of youthful defiance that made him confident his logic could not be contested. There was no room for negotiation.
„GRAAAAAH! YOU BIG BABY!”
„Ooooooookay... I am going to adjust my seat. You two can decide in the meantime.” Follo’s voice was steady, his mind disconnected from the scene that took place as he focused on the necessary preparations.
The rest of the team settled into the car, uninterested in participating in the bickering. With visible frustration, Enjin pressed his face against the window, his breath fogging up the glass. He could hear the growing impatience of their waiting teammates. Rudo remained firm in his stance, Zanka rolled his eyes at him, Riyo tried to calm Eishia down and Tomme was taking notes. The mission wouldn’t end until they returned to HQ.
„Fine! Follo, I’ll be right behind you. Make sure you can see everything and are comfortable.” Enjin finally relented. Then throwing one last annoyed look at Rudo, „Try not to distract him too much.”
„PROMISE!”
---
Safely back home, Rudo made his way to the mesh hall with a triumphant expression on his face. He grabbed a plate of food and slid into the seat in front of Follo, who was already engaged with a bowl of noodles. The taller boy put eating on pause to speak up.
„Are you two gonna fight over the front seat from now on? At least take turns or somethin’.”
„What are you on about??” Rudo waved a hand dismissively. „If you’re not driving then I don’t care.”
„Huh? ... Huh?! What do you mean?”
„Did I stutter? From now on, whenever you take the wheel I will be right beside you. Simple as that.” After declaring it, Rudo felt a surge of satisfaction. If Follo were to be a pilot, he’d be his co-pilot. If Follo were to be a captain, he’d be his co-captain. It’s what they’d call a no-brainer.
With that thought, he turned his attention back to his plate, ready to savor the flavors of today’s small victories.
Follo, on the other hand, nearly dropped his noodles as he processed Rudo’s words. The boldness of that statement hung in the air. How did this guy manage to make whatever came out of his mouth sound so effortlessly cool?
A playful grin spread across his face, mischief flickering in his eyes as they locked gazes.
„Okay, passenger princess.” Follo chuckled to himself, a teasing tone lingering in his voice.
...
„WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?!”
Uh-oh.