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The road was wet after today’s protests. To dim the fire, trucks had been deployed over town, blocking any buses and trams.
The one day Xander had decided to not take his car.
He sighed outside the library’s building. Firetrucks did not seem to end their patrol any time now…
He took his phone, texting Camilla
“You’re home ?
-Nope, spending night at Beruka’s. She needed patching after the protest.
-Your car is in town ?
-No :( you want me to ask if you can come sleep with us ?
-No, don’t worry. Have fun :)”
He was not sure about the emojis. Elise had tried to teach him but it seemed useless. At least for someone else than his sisters.
Behind him, librarians closed the doors of the library. He quickly searched on his phone… The closest hotel was still thirty minutes on walk.
Xander got on the road when it started to pour. Well, it was already not a good day, so he was not expecting anything…
“Hey, get in !”
A luxurious white car stopped in front of him, windows down.
Xander hesitated. Which was already unusual, because he was sure of himself most of the time.
“Look, do you want to stay soaked or I can bring you somewhere,” the man inside said again.
A tanned and muscular arm opened the door. Xander hesitated, and then decided to enter.
Someone with an arm like that could not be evil, he decided.
“Thank you… It’s soaking,” Xander sighed, closing the door behind him as he got in.
“No problem. Where can I-”
The voice of his interlocutor broke as Xander’s eyes widened. On the driving seat, Ryôma, Xander’s greatest enemy, took the car to a stop.
“Are you fucking-
-Are you kidding me ?”
Xander opened the door to leave. The rain was still pouring, and thunder rolled behind the sky.
“Come on. I can… Drive you somewhere,” Ryôma said.
Xander sighed. Thought for a few seconds. Then closed the door.
“Train station would be fine.
-I heard there were no more trains today…”
Xander sighed again.
“Then an hotel, if you can… Or just drop me in town,” he said, looking outside as the car started again.
Ryôma did not answer, driving and keeping his hands fixed on the wheel. Politely ignoring each other was the best way to get out of the situation.
“Thank you,” Xander said after thirty minutes of silence, when Ryôma left him in town.
“No problem. Be careful,” Ryôma said without looking at him.
Xander cracked a smile as the young man made a drift to drive away.
It was his signature move, one that always irritated Xander on the university’s parking…
Now he wondered if Ryôma did that each time he took his car to help… Or if it was just when he was around.