Chapter Text
The stereo of the car was quietly fading into the loud hum of the van engine. Anton rested his head upon his hand that laid on the pane glass of the window. His eyes flickered open and closed as exhaustion slowly crept in. Ivan kept his eyes on the road as he guided the steering wheel around the curve in the road. The sky was pitch black, zero cars drove alongside them. The stuff they packed up from their apartment up in New York laid neatly in boxes stacked up in the back of the van. Moving was hard, it always was, especially when you've lived your entire life in the big city. The two men sat in silence for the majority of the drive, it was short enough only an hour and forty minutes until they would arrive. However, both knew only more problems would arise once they got there.
"So, Bebs, what we going to do when we arrive?" Ivan said, breaking through the thick silence in the car. His thick Russian accent apparent in every word from his mouth.
"Don't call me Bebop. I hate that name." Anton said sharply, his brows moving together in a disgruntled way.
"Sorry, Anton," Ivan replied.
"...I don't exactly know what we'll do. When we get there I mean," Anton said sighing softly. The thought troubled the both of them. Maybe it wasn't exactly the smartest idea to pick up their stuff and leave with zero plan. However, the two weren't exactly known for being smart. The van fell into silence once more, there wasn't anything they wanted to say to one another.
Around an hour passes just as Anton looks out the window he witnesses a big green and white sign at the side of the road saying "Welcome to New Jersey," in that fancy modern text. Even though Anton was the first to suggest going down to New Jersey, now that the time came. He wasn't sure if he actually wanted to be there, if at all, nor did he want to be in New York. Actually it would be better if he wasn't anywhere at all or even anything.
"Hey Rock, we're New Jersey now," Anton said blankly looking over at the rhino that sat next to him.
"Hm..." said Ivan, not saying much, that wasn't unusual. He didn't say too much anyways. Eventually they pulled into a gas station when the orange gas icon flashed up on the instrument clutter. The car came to a halt with Anton stepping out stretching out his sore muscles. He heard the window roll down behind himself, he grabbed the wallet out of Ivan's outstretched hand.
"Thanks," Anton gave a small smile to Ivan. Before turning to face the gas pump. He grabbed the gas pump opening up the fuel tank flap before placing the nozzle into the hole leading to the gas tank. Anton leaned on the open window staring at the handsome man inside. "We might have to sleep in the car tonight and figure out something tomorrow,"
"Da, true," Ivan said. Anton gazed lovingly at Ivan. Despite their now mutated forms, Anton still felt that same love for Ivan as before. It wasn't the first time Anton has slept in a car before. Before staying in that warehouse or the shared apartment with Ivan. Anton spent months sleeping in the passenger seat of an old car. Anton felt lucky enough to even have a car to sleep in at night even if it wasn't fully a home. It was better than sleeping on the streets, Anton always told himself. Anton was snapped out of his thoughts hearing the click of the pump stopping. He took out the pump and placed it back before paying. He slammed the car door shut before Ivan started up the engine once more. They found a good place to stop for the night, it was quiet much like everywhere here and there wasn't any movement. The two settled down into their spots to rest their weary heads. Anton looked over at Ivan drifting into the peaceful grasp of sleep and carefully reached out a hand to place it in his.
The morning sun peered through the windshield heating up the inside of the car. Ivan was the first to wake up. He looked over to his right, staring at the form of Anton. Ivan reached out his hand intertwining his fingers between Anton's.
Eventually Anton awoke rubbing the sleepiness from his eyes. "Hey Rock," said Anton.
"Good morning, comrade," Ivan responded, squeezing Anton's hand. Anton grinned as blush subtly crept onto his face.
Within the hour they were back on the road in the county of Sussex. Sussex was empty, there were few homes out in the rural areas. It seemed that farmland stretched on for miles with no end or beginning. The houses along the side of the road or further back were either well lived in, or rotting away in time.
"So... We need somewhere to live, correct?" Said Anton with a sly grin.
"Da..?" Ivan responded confused by where Anton could possibly be going by his statement.
"There's plenty of abandoned houses out here. I'm sure we can pick a nice one out," said Anton.
"But, Comrade, wouldn't that take work to fix it up?" said Ivan, not completely disregarding the idea.
"Yeah sure. But we'll manage," he paused. "It's not exactly the best thing but we've been through worse," Ivan just sighed in response.
As the sun shifted to midday they pulled into a rocky driveway, grasses, and weeds sprouting out in between gaps of the rocks. As they both looked ahead they witnessed the sight of a small white house. The paint was chipping off the wooden boards of the home, the wood seemed to slowly rot giving way to weakness. It would have to be replaced, but they seemed sure of their success. Anton looked over to Ivan before hopping out of the car. Ivan followed suit close behind Anton. Anton walks up the creaking steps of the abandoned home. Ivan opens the door, the hinges creak with rust, lack of use, and the layer of dust coating the metal. The inside was empty, smelt of must, grim, and a thick layer of dust that choked their lungs. Ivan stepped aside letting Anton go in first. Everything was old, decrepited, and clearly needed work. However, it wasn't the worst place to live, especially compared to that warehouse.
"It's not too bad," said Ivan looking around at the space.
"Right..." said Anton.
"Back in New York, in a... storage unit I've got plenty of stuff to fill this place," said Ivan.
"Really? Why the hell do you keep so much?" Anton questioned.
"A lot of it was my grandmother's, felt bad getting rid of it," he responded.
"Hm..."
The sun started to set and the two sat once more in the car for another night of sleeping in the car. The grass, plants, and weeds were large, overgrown, but beautiful. Anton settled into the reclined seat of the passenger side. A breeze drifted through the car as the two fell asleep until dawn of the next day.