[✓] roadtrip ~ hc

~Day 4~

Four in a bucket. If you know that reference, you know my super-secret-melodramatic-alter-ego. Hurrah.

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"Okay, wait-" Ren furrowed his brow as Doc rubbed his eyes. "Dude- you were supposed to drive today. Why- can't you drive?"

"I stayed up until 3AM."

"whY-"

Doc shrugged, hauling his backpack into the trunk of their van. "Well, I was at the firepit with Bdubs 'till, like- eleven. Then I walked him back to his tent. Then I couldn't sleep."

Ren just stared. Doc yawned and looked at him. "I had a lot to think about."

Ren sighed. He walked around their vehicle and stuck his head through Grian's rolled down window. "Iskall, Doc is too sleepy to drive. You okay to drive?"

Iskall froze. Ren watched in confusion as both Grian and Mumbo looked at him in concern. Mumbo shook his head. Grian whispered something to Iskall.

It was getting pretty awkward for Ren so the brunet started to walk back around the van when he heard the car door open.

"I can do it."

Ren turned around and grinned at the swede. "Awesome dude! Can I ride shotgun?"

"O-of course." Iskall looked at his feet, shuffling awkwardly. "Also I.. I'm a pretty tentative driver, so I'm sorry if I do a bad job."

Ren smiled at Iskall reassuringly, placing a hand on his shoulder and leading him to the drivers seat. "I doubt you'll do a bad job."

---

"Iskall, my dude, I don't mean to rush you or anything but-" Ren glanced over at Iskall, who was gripping the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles were turning white, "You think you could go a bit faster? We're kinda losing--"

"I-" The swede bit his lip, his eyes firmly on the road. "I c-can. I'm sorry."

Iskall pushed his foot slowly, gently applying the tinyest bit more of pressure onto the gas. Ren could barely recognize a difference in speed.

"Iskall.."

"R-Ren."

Ren wasn't quite sure what he was feeling. Worry? Frustration? Guilt? He just knew that he really wanted to protect Iskall from driving, which sounded kinda stupid in his head.

Ren gave the driver a soft look, though he knew Iskall wouldnt be looking away from the road to see it anytime soon. "Do you want me to drive, Iskall?"

Iskall swallowed, "N-no, Ren, I can handle it. Thank you."

There was an awkward silence that hung over the vehicle.

Ren was so caught up wondering what made Iskall so uncomfortable driving that he forgot there were other people in the car.

"Iskall, he's offering." Grian's voice startled Ren out of his thoughts. "You shouldn't stress yourself."

"But I want to, Grian." Iskall countered, "It doesn't even matter if we win this one, because we either win today or end up with a tiebreaker tomorrow. This is a good chance for me to get over what happened."