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Luke and Driver have been on the run for almost three months now. After the disaster back in Schenectady that was Luke trying to pull a desperate and angry solo robbery, where Driver barely managed to save his ass in time, they had to leave town quick. On Luke’s wish they were making their way towards the Westcoast. Sue him, but he always wanted to live beach side at some point and see where all the big actors lived. But apparently Driver is already fleeing from his own past, so they settled on San Francisco instead of Los Angeles like Luke first imagined.
That part had shocked him more than it should have. He knew that Driver was running from something when he first met him and they started whatever it is that one might call their strings of robberies. He didn’t think the other would be actively hunted by gangsters though. Then again, as far as Luke knew him, Driver has never been one to do things halfway.
Living on the road is nothing new to Luke. He has plenty of experience thanks to the carnival, even if it had never been as bare bones as this. Both he and Driver had barely anything on them when they left Schenectady in a cloud of dust, mostly just a few dollar bills that Driver had stacked away in his car beforehand, that tided them over for the first two weeks, and the clothes they were wearing. (As well as that cursed gun, but he threw it into a ravine on their second day on the road.)
They lived from one shitty motel to the next shitty one, taking odd jobs in between or pick pocketing from unassuming tourists or businessmen. Luke stopped trying to hide his tattoos after the third state line they passed. Their case was too small to really be of interest in the bigger cities and he stopped seeing wanted posters or news with his face and name after only a week. Living with Driver while on the run was actually good, when Luke wasn’t actively thinking about Jason and Romina.
On a quiet night, parked in front of the next shitty motel and their pockets full of money for once, Driver had quietly opened up to him in his weird version of trying to console him. He told him about a soft-spoken woman and a curious boy and how he had to leave them behind to protect them as well. And for one painful and real second, Luke felt truly seen. He tried not to put a name to the clenching of his heart and instead simply bumped his shoulder against Driver’s in silent solidarity.
It’s actually kind of crazy to him how far Driver has been willing to follow him. From one impulsive idea to a badly planned out robbery to the road on the run from the law. He knows he probably wouldn’t be alive without the other and even if, he would not have come this far alone. He knows that Driver has this weirdly ingrained sense of loyalty that gives him purpose in life and Luke can’t lie and say it doesn’t give him a certain rush of power; to have this resourceful and unshakable man so willingly at his feet. It’s a feeling more addicting than any cigarette or other kind of drug could ever be.
So yeah, life while on the run wasn’t bad with Driver. They made do somehow with just each other as company.
When they finally arrive in San Francisco, Luke is actually filled with hope for once. They both find work at some semi dubious auto repair shop whose owner doesn’t ask many questions, simply takes one look at Driver’s well-maintained car and offers them payment in cash. They manage to move into an apartment building that has definitely seen better days, situated in a worse part of town, but whose owner asks even less questions than their new boss. He simply raises an eyebrow at the both of them moving in together into a one bedroom apartment, which makes Luke clench his teeth, but in the end still gives them the key.
In the end he’s still an adrenaline junky though and he knows Driver will follow him wherever he goes, as his keeper or his protector, Luke doesn’t care. They start up on their more criminal activities again. But this time they are more organized and he’s willing to follow Driver’s rules. They don’t commit robberies for cash anymore, instead they build up a good scheme, where they rob raw materials or other stuff for third parties or black market dealers. They get the deal and information beforehand directly from their various clients and simply have to drop off the goods in exchange for hard cash. Driver is still the get away driver and Luke is still the one who goes in – it’s the roles that fit them best after all, and this way they don’t have to involve other parties more directly.
Some people might call what they have a weird kind of codependency, but Luke doesn’t care. This unnamed thing between them, the state of things right now, works for them. And life is good for them for once.
That is until they meet their new next-door neighbour, Ryland Grace.
They run into the man on a random Thursday afternoon in the hallway after work. The man is clearly intimidated by them both but still tries to initiate small talk as he introduces himself. He tells them about his job at a nearby middle school and his latest troubles with his bicycle (Luke snorted at that one) and he’s honestly only listening to the other man with half an ear until he notices the interested gleam in Driver’s eyes.
Driver gives the man his full attention, turning his body towards him and humming in interest whenever their neighbour awkwardly starts on a new topic because they’re both still not saying anything in return. Luke tries not to read too much into the weird gleam in Driver’s eyes when he looks at Ryland Grace, even if his heart clenches almost uncertainly.
He continues his conversations with their new neighbour the following days, always pausing in his steps to give the smaller man more time to talk and gifting him his whole intense attention, no matter the topic. Luke isn’t used to sharing Driver’s attention with anyone else and it leaves a bitter taste in his mouth whenever he sees them interacting.
The imprint of their neighbour moves from just the hallway of their shared building into their small apartment. Luke watches as Driver listens for signs of their neighbour on the other side of the wall. He actually manages to draw a small chuckle out of him when he caught the man singing in the shower once. The smile hadn’t left Driver’s lips the whole morning after and Luke had to get out for a cigarette to stop the trembling in his fingers.
He hates it. He hates the way Driver actively withdraws his attention from Luke to look at Ryland Grace. The way he will turn all soft and smiley simply in the other man’s presence. His smiles for Luke had never been this bright nor gentle. He leaves Luke in their free time more and more often to pick up Ryland Grace from work or simply follow him around like a lost puppy. Luke can feel his hold on the other slipping more and more each day and he fears, that the devotion and loyalty he had thought so unconditional, so unshakable from Driver, might not be as deep rooted as he assumed.
His heart clenches painfully and leaves him feeling bone-dry, bitter and hollow, but he still refuses to name the feeling shaking him to his core. All he can do is watch as Driver turns his attention further away from him. He even reduces their criminal activities, sitting him down one evening and talking to him with his soft voice and few words about how they should turn over a new leaf. Luke barely holds himself back from trashing their bare apartment and instead storms out the door, shaking hands fumbling for his cigarettes.
This unnamed thing between them is starting to unravel and he doesn’t know what to do.
Late at night, cramped into their shitty bed with his back turned to the other, he can’t help but wonder. He thinks about that night while they were still on the road, when they were parked in front of another cheap motel, Luke’s fingers oily from the fast food they just shared, laughing about some stupid joke he can’t even remember anymore. He thinks about Driver’s soft gaze, the way he had slowly leaned over the console, the way his calloused fingers had felt against Luke’s cheek, and he begins to wonder. He wonders what would have happened, if his stupid insecurities hadn’t reared their ugly little heads, if fear hadn’t gripped him, if he hadn’t punched Driver in the face, hadn’t called him a slur. He wonders what would have happened then. If maybe Driver’s attention and devotion would have stayed with him then.
He watches almost in dissociation the next day as Driver converses once again with Ryland Grace as they walk towards the elevator. Their conversation is mostly just the smaller man rambling while Driver listens with rapt attention and Luke tries to ignore them.
“So, how are you and your boyfriend finding the area so far?" Their neighbour asks innocently and Luke almost trips over his open bootlaces.
He turns to correct the other, but Driver beats him to it.
“We’re not dating.” Is his simple reply.
Luke feels his throat constrict, even though he wanted to say the same thing.
“O-Oh, I thought-,” Ryland Grace at least has the gall to look a bit embarrassed as he looks at Luke before quickly switching over to Driver. “Well, I’m glad to hear that.”
He immediately flounders, waving his hands frantically as he tries to correct himself. “I don’t mean it like that! Gosh, that sounded wrong, I’m not a homophobe! I simply meant that- that...” He trails off with a completely red face, his glasses somehow sitting crooked on his nose.
Driver simply smiles softly at him though and rights the glasses with a painfully gentle hand. “Glad that I’m single?”
Ryland Grace swallows before shyly ducking his head in embarrassment and Driver’s small smile turns into a delighted grin. Luke sneers loudly at them before quickening his steps, walking away from them as fast as he can go without outright running.
He should have just let that cop shoot him back in Schenectady. It would have hurt less than this.