bakerstreet | r-r-r-roadtrip

r-r-r-roadtrip

{The Road Trip Meme!!}

It's that time of the year again! You decided to take a road trip!
Either to your friends, relative, or perhaps an event,
but oh, my goodness, what will happen along the way?
• Post with your character name/fandom/options preferences.
• Use RNG to pick your possible scenario - or just go with what you'd like most.
• Reply to other people's tags. Use RNG, mix and match, or just wing it!
• Enjoy!

Situations:

1. BREAK DOWN

Oh, snap, your car decided to break down out in the middle of nowhere. WHAT DO? Is that Leatherface? Will this be "Children of the Corn"?2. TRUCK STOP

You've stopped at a gas station. They're out of gas, snacks and the bathrooms are out of order. Wat do. (Zombie attack optional.)3. HITCHHIKERS?

Is this even a good idea? Why is their backpack leaking suspicious substances? Go wild.4. WHAT THE FUCK DID I JUST HIT?

Dude, I hear deer mess up cars... or I think that was a deer.5. DON'T MAKE ME TURN THIS CAR AROUND!

Alas, you're the parent or the disgruntled friend who has had it up to here with all the fighting in the back.6. OMG, I WANT TO TAKE A PICTURE OF THIS LANDMARK!

No, no, and no. You tell that person that they're going to be driven around and they're going to like it.7. THE GREAT ESCAPE

Either dinosaurs or the mothman is chasing you. Don't stop now.8. MAKE OUT~

You're now parked in one of the make-out points in this town. Did you know? Well, that's up to you, as is what you do next.9. WE'RE SO LOST

The map blew away when you were stupid enough to open the windows earlier. You know that old stereotype about how men never ask for directions but women will? Time to see if you're going to prove it right or not. Try not to fight over it too much, driving partners.10. BUT OFFICER...

Those flashing lights in your rearview mirror? Definitely not just for decoration.
Relationship (optional):

1. BUSINESS PARTNERS: The jet was undergoing some heavy repairs, so you have to drive to that big meeting.

2. BFFS/ROOMIES: On your last hurrah before you join the 'real world.'

3. NEWLYWEDS: You're a young couple on your honeymoon! Hope this doesn't ruin your relationship.

4. SIBLINGS: Whether this is a trip to reconnect or to fix things or to just deepen your bond as epic sibs is up to you.

5. PARENT & CHILD: It's like a family vacation for the two of you. try not to get on each other's nerves too much?

(taken from memeonic & arspaulina @ lj)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[It was suppose to be an easy delivery, at least that's what it had looked like on paper. Take several parcels to one location, pick another one up there and then head to this other location to deliver it. Not his usual there and back but it was still pretty easy. He'd asked Tifa to come along for the company and for the help she would provide, Cloud figuring it might be best to have someone with him since it was going to be a lot of driving. And, sure, he didn't sleep much as it was but better safe than sorry. He didn't want to end up off course because he was too out of it to focus or anything like that.

Or hit something. Like a fiend. One that had darted out in front of them before he could steer to avoid it.

Fenrir's tires squealed as Cloud did his best to keep the bike upright, the parcels they were suppose to be delivery breaking out of the tie downs where they were secured and scattering across the road. The bike spun but Cloud was able to steady it before it went for another circle--one that would have ended up with them on the ground--a foot one the pavement to halt them now that he had more control.

Immediately he turned to look back at Tifa, a worried look in his eyes despite how irritated he was because what the actually hell?]

Are you alright?

[Tifa enjoyed times like these. Edge was her home but she had to admit, sometimes she missed the time she'd once spent tramping all over the Planet. Not the hardships of it or the times of hopeless despair but - simply the freedom. It was why she understood completely when Cloud took up his delivery service and why she didn't get upset when he was gone for several days at a time. She missed him, missed things as simple as his simple presence nearby or his muddy boots in the doorway, but she understood. And sometimes she envied him. So when he'd started inviting her along on the longer routes from time to time, she'd happily jumped at the chance. Their group was close knit enough, it was never hard to find someone to watch the kids and the kids certainly didn't mind the adventure of having a talking fire-lion or an airship captain when Barret wasn't available. It was a good balance all around and Tifa never felt guilty for 'running away' with Cloud when he asked.

Her chin had been over his shoulder, watching the world zip past through the goggles she wore, enjoying the sting of the wind and sand against her cheeks, arms loose around his chest when the fiend had come out of nowhere. Even SOLDIER reflexes hadn't been fast enough for that and Tifa had only had time to inhale before they were spinning and she was bracing the soles of her shoes against the piping of Fenrir in case they needed to make a quick abandon ship. But as heavy and wild as the bike was, Cloud managed to get it under control and she just hoped he hadn't ripped the front of his shirt with the strength of her startled grip on it.

Wide eyed, she blinked at his question - and then remembered to breath, sucking in a quick surge of air before nodding, face relaxing enough to give him a small smile.

It had been a long time since her fight instinct had kicked up and the adrenaline was still thundering in the back of her chest, making her knuckles tingle.]

Mm. [A quick nod and her hand, still on his chest, unfisted, spread, tapped light fingertips against his heart as she straightened a little and looked back at the mess they'd just made. Of packages and monster. Already she was slinging one long leg off the bike, intending on heading back to check first the monster to make sure it was dead and then start collecting the packages. Cloud hadn't made any noise so she thought he was all right but - ] How's Fenrir?

[Her lack of immediate response had him worried and it showed in the way his brow furrowed and he started to turn around to face her better. She took a breath though and seemed to relax, prompting a similar response from him--even if there was a lingering bit of worry in his gaze.

Out of instinct his hand lifted to cover the one she had on his chest to give it a squeeze, his gaze shifting over to the...well. It was something. One part monster and one part packages--some of which had definitely not survived. He gave her hand another squeeze before letting it go as she started to climb off the bike. His foot slipped back to kick the stand down so he could get off as well.]

No damage. [That he could see, at least. It would be a different story once he went to fire the bike up again but right now he was a little more concerned with the mess he'd made.] We should be alright to keep going. [The blonde started over to where Tifa was, scowling lightly as he looked over the mess.]

...Think any of them are salvageable?

[The squeeze of his hand helped ground her. It had been ages since she'd had to fight a monster and it was strange, to her, how quickly the old habits - and feelings - had come back. Usually they were far too fast on Fenrir but this one -

Hands on her hips she surveyed the damage and mentally her thoughts matched Cloud's. It certainly was - something.

One of the reasons people hired Cloud in fact instead of trying to transport things themselves.

She looked over at him when he came to a stop near her. Probably no more looking forward to sorting fiend guts off smashed packages then she was. Light she leaned enough to jostle his shoulder with her own. Stalled them both for a little bit more time before the job of it.

It wasn't his fault he was cute when he was scowling.]

Well, the monster's definitely not. [She decided it firmly, trying to inject some humor into the situation. Her eyes slipped sideways over to him.] But I really hope nothing in the packages was baked goods.

[Absently he swayed with the slight push she gave him, glancing at her with that same scowl though the look in his eyes softened slightly now that he was focused on her.]

Which is probably a good thing. [He really didn't want to deal with an injured fiend right now. It usually drove them into a worse rage than they usually settled into and this was already going to throw their schedule off.

They didn't need anymore distractions right now.

The baked goods comment gets a huff of laughter out of him, the scowl slipping away as he relaxes just the slightest bit. See? This is why it's good that you're here, Tifa.]

I doubt that's the-- [Whatever he was going to say is cut off by the sound of a strange sort of howl, and then another. Several more echo it, the sounds mixed with sharp yelps and growls.

A pack. Great.]

Grab what's salvageable!

[It's always a good thing that she's there, Cloud. Who else is going to look out for ~~you~~ the baked goods?

And the smile was just starting to spread across her face and into her eyes at his own relaxing when her head jerked around and the smile vanished like smoke in a strong wind. Because she'd heard it too and her mind matches his exactly. Without hesitation she peels off for the nearby packages on the side she's on, trusting him to cover his side. Monster gore isn't pleasant smeared across her hands as she scoops up whatever looks passable but if they don't move fast enough she'll end up with monster gore over more than her hands and its an utter pain to get out of her hair. It's not that they can't take on a pack, they've taken on a lot worse together, its that there's always damage after something like that. And while she had a mastered Restore she always traveled with, she didn't have anything that would fix Fenrir.]

[Good point.

He takes the opposite side without any prompting, snagging several of the packages that are still worth saving--several far too damaged to even be worth the risk--and while leaving some behind is going to cost him, it's better than getting into a fight right now. Sure they could both hold their own but he hadn't really been prepared for this and he doubts Tifa had been either.

So with the packages that can be saved in arm, he darts back over to Fenrir and climbs on, knocking the kick stand back into place.

Please let it start, please let it--

It takes two tries but the engine roars to life and Cloud lets out a breath of relief, tucking the packages away quickly before he motions for Tifa.]

Come on! We're out of time!

[She lets herself take a bit more time than he does because she knows he's the one that's got to start Fenrir and those few extra seconds are extra packages she can rescue. Sort of rescue considering what's already been done to them.

They're not so hard up for money for they can't afford to cover some lost packages - but every time she snatches one up, she wonders if its something irreplaceable someone was sending to family on the other side of the continent. A stack of old love letters or a photo album or the like. That's what she'd regret leaving behind and its what has her taking those extra seconds to grab just one more. And one more.

If it's all supply reports or lugnuts, she's going to be upset.

Fenrir's roar has her snatching up one last box and turning though at Cloud's call. Those aren't the only sounds. She can hear the screaming calls of the fiends and its honestly a question of which is closer.

They're really better not be packages of lugnuts.

She's fast though, she hasn't lost so much of her training that she's lost that and its a quick spin and sprint to throw a leg over Fenrir and curl up behind Cloud, her arms too full to be much use at defense until she can get the packages tucked away. As soon as she's mostly on, she tighens her thighs on the sides of the bike and calls:]

I'm on!

[It's a damn good thing she's fast. Because as soon as she's settled onto the bike a trio of fiends make their appearance, snarling at the pair as one of them sniffs almost mournfully at their..splattered..companion.

Cloud only gave them a quick bit of attention before he was bringing his foot up and hitting the clutch on his bike. There was definitely a low whine within the hum of the motor, something having taken a beating in that spiraling out of control, but it was running for now and that's what mattered.

The monsters immediately started after them, yipping and yowling as one flanked each side and the other came at them from the rear though their speed was nothing in comparison to Fenrir.

Thankfully.

Cloud could see them out of the corners of his eyes and frowned, shifting into the next gear to push the bike even faster. They were definitely going to have to stop once they were out of the pack's territory because he needed to figure out what was wrong with his bike. But for now, they were on their way again and in one piece.]

[Fenrir can go amazing speeds and Tifa's glad she's at least a little familiar with that when the bike jumps forward and roars with sudden speed. She's also glad that she's got very strong legs because the lack of arms to hold on to things would be a lot more alarming otherwise.

It's a little alarming anyway but not to the point where she's worried she'll fall off so much as worried she'll lose her grip on one of the packages. Though - its a good thing she's convinced herself they might be family heirlooms because otherwise she'd be tempted to toss them at the nearby monsters. The paper the packages are wrapped in smells terrible now thanks to the gore on them.

She is prepared to get a leg loose for a kick if one of the monsters makes a leap for them and she'll lose the packages in her arms then without a lot of regret if its necessary but Cloud gets more speed out of Fenrir and so instead she leans forward into his back, tucking her cheek between his shoulder blades and hunched over the packages. She's not even going to try to resettle them on the bike until they're going at a more sedate speed.

And yet - she finds herself smiling and can't even regret it. This is certainly more exciting than her afternoon stocking the bar and taking care of the lunch crowd usually is.

She's kind of missed it.]

[It's not until they've put at least a mile between them and the pack that Cloud even considers slowing the bike down, easing back on the throttle some as his body starts to relax. That had been a close one. And considering Tifa had her arms full and wasn't really in a position to hold on..

A quick glance around has him determining a good spot to pull off the road so they can get re-situated, the blonde guiding the bike off the pavement before he eases the brake more.

As Fenrir rolls to an easy stop, Cloud cuts the engine and leans back into Tifa just a bit as he reaches up to pull his glasses off.]

You alright back there? [The packages were the last thing on his mind right now. He was more concerned with if Tifa was handling everything alright. Not that she was weak or incapable. It had just been awhile. That's all.]

[Cheek against his back, she can, partially, watch behind them and its satisfying to watch the fiends disappear almost immediately. It's an awkward way to sit but she's crowded herself into worse before and its not Cloud's back that's uncomfortable. She watches the world tear by sideways and absently tries to rearrange the packages in her arms without accidentally losing one of them. It makes her glad for the leather vest she's wearing. Leather washes off fairly easily.

She doesn't look up when he pulls the bike over and the engine stops but she smiles when she feels his slight lean and tips her head up to spot him slipping off the goggles. That means they're going to stay put for a bit.

It's sweet the way he worries over her. She can't take offense. He knows she can supplex a dragon. He just worries because she's precious to him and because he's a natural protector no matter what he thinks. So she inhales and straightens up and gives his shoulder a nudge with her chin because her hands are full.]

That was exciting.

[It doesn't sound like a complaint.]

[You know, he really should have expected that answer. It was so very her. So much so that he can't hide the huff of laughter that escapes him as he shakes his head in an almost fond manner.]

If you say so.

[It had definitely been an adrenaline rush but he'd rather not repeat it again anytime soon. At least not until they had finished their delivery.

Which, speaking of that...

The blonde's humor melted away as he frowned softly now, slowly starting to climb off the bike. He needed to access all the damage to the packages--as well as the bike--before they continued on their way. Whatever had been lost was coming out of his pocket, after all.]

How many did we lose?

[His huffed amusement makes her smile soften and relax a little. The energy of the almost attack is still pumping through her but its starting to slow down enough for her to relax a little. That could have gotten much messier than it had, figuratively at least. Looking down at the sometimes gore splashed packages she's holding she thinks it would be hard to make it more literal. His question has her shifting on the seat behind him, tucking a leg to pull in so she can side sideways on the bike. It gives her better access to what she's holding and what he stashed - but it also lets her settle in against his back with a shoulder, hip tucked against him as well.]

We've got twelve. [A quick look at the packages to double check.] So we lost four. some of the ones we've got are pretty banged up though. If you pull out the inventory list, I'll check off what we've got against what you've got and we can see who we lost.

[She doesn't like taking the hit to his business but if this was an easy job everyone would do it. People know the wastelands are still wild and transport between towns is still dangerous. That's why they hire Cloud. She also knows however that it bothers him to let people down when they're counting on him and she leans a little bit, head resting briefly against his shoulder to let him know she understands.]

[Having her pressed against his back like that is a comfort, a reassurance that yes everything is okay and they both made it out unscathed. While he doesn't like to losing his deliveries he'd much rather have them suffer damage than see Tifa hurt. Himself? Eh, he could deal with whatever injury he got. But Tifa was here to help and the last thing he wanted was to take her home with injuries.]

It could have been worse. [It's said more to himself than Tifa as he let's out a quiet sigh, relieved that they at least still had the majority of their cargo.

He shifts slightly to pull out the inventory list he kept stashed in one of his pockets, leaning back into her a tiny bit more when he feels her head rest against his shoulder. Each package is gone over slowly, Cloud reading off the names of the recipients one by one and making notes if anything has been lost or damaged. He's definitely going to be covering some costs but it wasn't anything that would ruin him.

And it was still better than the alternative.]

That's it. Looks like what we lost all went to the same place. That makes it a little easier, at least. [He only had to pay one person then.]

[She listen to him read off the list and make comments on things, tucking each package away in storage once its accounted for and the adrenaline slowly bleeds away. Part of that is the situation changing into something that doesn't need her to fight but mostly... mostly its just Cloud. The feel of him leaning subtly into her, the warmth of him against her side, the sound of his low voice... he can calm her down or make things right so easily and she's sure he has no idea how little he has to do to do that. She's never needed the huge things. Never needed grand gestures or great deeds or verbose declarations. Cloud just - being Cloud has always been enough. Even when he'd been confused and confusing, a jumble of contradictions and things that didn't make sense, he's still carried a certain sense of reassurance for her. And once he'd figured things out...

Once he'd figured things out she'd known that he'd always be her reassuring center. Even when he wasn't sure, when he was feeling unsteady - she still found comfort.

When the last package was accounted for and tucked away, she slipped an arm around his waist and tucked her chin over his shoulder, looking at the list as an excuse before humming out a sound.]

Only having to apologize to one person is better. I hope the fiends appreciate whatever was in those packages. Someone should get something out of them if we're paying for them. [A little nudge with her chin and she was slipping it off his shoulder to ask:] You want me to dig out lunch while you look at Fenrir?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

r-r-r-roadtrip

RNG gave me 4 and I'm totally working that in.

lol - love it!

c:

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